VINCENZO GEMITO | Mask of Alexander the Great

Overall the condition of the bronze is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is dust and some dryness to the patina in the crevices. There is some rubbing to the patina at the high points. There are a few original lacunae in the cast, including to the forehead. There are some residues and some staining to the socle.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The subject of Alexander the Great preoccupied Vincenzo Gemito for a decade. During this period he returned to the legendary conqueror time and again, producing some of his most iconic works. The series began with a pencil drawing made in 1912, shortly after the sculptor emerged from twenty years of seclusion which followed a mental breakdown. The drawing was inspired by a small bronze of Alexander the Macedonian in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples. The Mask of Alexander was created around 1920 alongside profiles of the hero in high and low relief. Gemito sought out fourteen different antique portraits of Alexander to study. He famously concluded that ‘When I saw Alexander and found that he resembled what I had created I realised that if an artist is ignorant of the past he can never produce a masterpiece.’ The Mask of Alexander differs from the two reliefs in the style of the modelling. Both the high relief bust (terracotta in the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna inv. 5043) and the low relief medallion are characterised by a delineation of form and a jewel-like level of detail. The Mask, in contrast, preserves the immediacy of the artist’s conception as he worked the clay.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Pagano, Gemito, exh. cat. Museo Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes, Naples, 2009, pp. 210-17, nos. 80-86; B. Mantura, Temi di Vincenzo Gemito, Rome, 1989, pp. 127-128