ATTRIBUTED TO DOMENICO GUIDI (1625-1701) | CORPUS CHRISTI

This superb bronze epitomises the late Roman Baroque in bronze. Domenico Guidi became the foremost sculptor in Rome following the death of Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1680. Early in life he had travelled to Naples to assist his uncle the sculptor Giuliano Finelli, who was one of Bernini’s most celebrated marble carvers. Guidi remained under his tutelage until 1648 when he left for Rome and entered the studio of the other great sculptor of the Roman Baroque, Alessandro Algardi. The sculptor spent the rest of his career in Rome, becoming the leading sculptor in the city by the end of the 17^th century. His work helped to transform the style of the late Baroque as he encouraged the spread of the classical style in Rome. He produced a series of papal busts (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, inv. nos. 1089-1853 and 1088-1853) and funerary monuments, as well as the remarkable marble of Andromeda and the Sea Monster (Metropolitan Museum, New York, inv. no. 67.34). Working for popes, cardinal and royalty, he led one of the most prolific workshops in Rome. Guidi was unusual in that he cast his bronzes himself. 

The present model was attributed to Guidi by Tomaso Montanari (op. cit.) and was again given to the sculptor by Cristiano Giometti in his magisterial monograph on the sculptor published in 2010 (op. cit., pp. 330-332, no. 21. OA a,b,c,d). Casts of the model are recorded in the church of S. Domenico in Varazze; in the church of S. Filippo Neri in Genoa; and on the Italian and French art markets. On 13 December 1656 Guidi and the founder Giovanni Artusi had been commissioned to execute 105 candlesticks and 26 Crosses for the Vatican. The commission later transferred to Bernini, but, according to Giometti, Guidi may have conceived of the model and made a few casts for private patrons (which Montanari associated with the aforementioned four casts). Interestingly two of the bronzes have Ligurian provenance and Liguria was the birthplace of Cardinal Giacomo who had first proposed Guidi for the Vatican commission. This fact arguably strengthens the hypothesis that the present model was linked to the Vatican commission. It has been suggested that Guidi may have presented a Corpus to Cardinal Giacomo in thanks (Giometti, op. cit.). The model is fundamentally indebted to the tradition of Algardi, whist being enhanced with Berninesque exuberance of forms. The perizonium, described by Monanari as a dramatic clashing of forms, is reminiscent of Bernini and stands in contrast to Guidi's other model of the Crucified Christ, that in the the Monasterio di San Lorenzo at the Escorial, which has a heavier body and is closer to Algardi. Documents indicate that the sculptor also realised a Corpus in silver for cardinal Francesco degl’Albizi (Montanari, op. cit., p. 18).

The quality of the modelling of the present bronze is very high and is typical of Roman 17th-century bronzes. Note the finely detailed veins and facial features and the rich reddish brown patina. The sharply cut folds of drapery and particularly the facial physiognomy are a characteristic of Guidi’s work. The Corpus is accompanied by a beautiful original Cross with wonderful bronze terminals.

RELATED LITERATURE

T. Montanari, “Bernini per Bernini: il secondo ‘Crocifisso’ monumentale. Con una digressione su Domenico Guidi”, Prospettiva, 2009, 136, pp. 2-25; C. Giometti, Domenico Guidi 1625-1701. Uno scultore barocco di fama europea, Rome, 2010, pp. 330-332, no. 21. OA a,b,c,d