FRENCH, EARLY 19TH CENTURYAFTER THE ANTIQUE | The Sleeping Hermaphrodite

Overall the condition of the marble is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The marble has been heavily cleaned, which has given the surface a permanent waxy sheen. The proper left foot has been reattached at the ankle and there is a small chip to one of the proper left toes. There is a small restoration to the proper right heel. The proper left middle finger is reattached and there is some restoration. There is natural veining to the marble consistent with the material, particularly to the back. There is a prominent vein in the proper left breast. There are some natural raised veins including to the rear bottom right corner by the feet. There are small naturally occurring inclusions, in particular to the arms, mattress and proper right cheek. There are some minor dirt marks including to the upper back. There are minor abrasions to the side of the mattress.
"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."

'Sex to sweet sex with lips and limbs is wed' are the words with which Swinburne enshrined the iconic Sleeping Hermaphrodite in his poetry. Discovered in Rome before 1620, the ancient Roman marble - after a presumed Hellenistic bronze - was famously restored by Gianlorenzo Bernini, who added the quilted mattress upon which the sleeping figure rests. The Hermaphrodite was installed in the Villa Borghese as part of Cardinal Scipione Borghe's collection by 1638 and soon rose to fame as one of the most celebrated marbles in Rome. Its subject is Hermaphroditos, the son of Aphrodite and Hermes, whose form was merged with that of a water nymph, resulting in his androgynous status, which is laid bare in the statue. Viewers in the 17th and 18th centuries were inevitably compelled by the titillating compositon, with reactions ranging from distaste and shame to admiration and amusement. Lady Townshend quipped that the model represented 'the only happy couple she ever saw' (Haskell and Penny, op. cit., p. 235). The statue's fame resulted in the commissioning of various copies, of which some - unlike the present marble - omit the vital addition of the penis. Though frequently copied in bronze, the present reduction in marble is comparatively rare and faithfully reproduces the Borghese model. Purchased by Napoleon in 1807, the Borghese Hermaphrodite is now among the main attractions of ancient statuary at the musée du Louvre, eclipsing in fame a number of other Roman versions of the subject.  RELATED LITERATURE
F. Haskell and N. Penny, Taste and the Antique: The Lure of Classical Sculpture, 1500-1900, London, 1981, pp. 234-235