TOMMASO RUES (1636-1703)NORTHERN ITALIAN, VENICE, LATE 17TH CENTURY | Bust of Pluto

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The marble has a natural light brown colour. There are a few small chips to the points of the crown, including to the central point above the forehead. There are a few small chips to the edges of the drapery. There is natural veining to the marble consistent with the material, in particular to the proper left shoulder and chest. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, in particular to the chest. There are a few small open veins, including to the back of the crown.
"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."

Research by Maichol Clemente has led to greater understanding of the biography and oeuvre of the Tyrolean-born Venetian artist Tommaso Rues, who, in his lifetime, was regarded as one of the leading sculptors in the serenissima at the end of the 17th century. Rues came to prominence with his elegant groups of the Evangelists, Old Testament heroines, and angels for Baldassare Longhena's Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute which dominates the S. Marco opening of the Grand Canal. Rues' work received considerable acclaim and he is mentioned in a letter from Abbot Giovanni Parenti to Francesco II d'Este, Duke of Modena, in 1679 alongside Josse De Corte, 'Michele Ungaro' and Orazio Marinali. Parenti describes Rues' work as 'very delicate' and notes that he worked for 'many princes in Germany, in particular the Duke of Saxony and the prince of Ratzwill' (as quoted in Clemente, 2016, op. cit., pp. 17-18). In the 1670s Rues executed figures for Palladio's Redentore in Giudecca and - considered his seminal works - statues of St. Peter, St. John the Evangelist, St. Paul and St. Juliana for the San Pantalon church in the sestriere of Dorsoduro.

The present bust of Pluto, the god of the underworld, relates to a number of Rues' male figures, with their heavy furrowed brows and swirling, mid-length beards. Compare, for example, with the Prophets from the altar of the Madonna del Rosario di San Domenico in Brescia, now in the Brompton Oratory in South Kensington. A particularly strong comparison is found in the face of Hercules from Rues' rediscovered Hercules and Antaeus group, which Clemente has identified in a deed dated 9 August 1704 which divides Rues' estate amongst his children (for a full discussion ref. Clemente, 2016, op. cit.). Ultimately, the present bust of Pluto finds its closest comparisons with the St. Peter and St. Paul from the church of San Pantalon, created by the artist when he was at his zenith. The head of St. Paul is, in fact, so close that one could be mistaken for thinking that the two derive from the same model: in the brow, shape of the eyes and arrangement of the hair and beard. The identification of the subject is confirmed by the fact that Pluto is traditionally represented as a king: bearded with a crown of many points. RELATED LITERATURE
P. Rossi, 'Per un profilo di Tommaso Rues,' in G. Pavanello (ed.), La scultura veneta del seicento e del settecento: Nuovi Studi, Venice, 2002; M. Clemente, 'Tommaso Rues: contributo al catalogo,' Zbornik za umetnostno zgodovino (Nova vrsta), 49, 2013; M. Clemente, Tommaso Rues 1636-1703: A German Sculptor in Baroque Venice, Florence, 2016

The present bust is accompanied by an expertise by Dr Maichol Clemente which is available upon request. Sotheby's would like to thank Dr Clemente for his kind assistance in cataloguing this lot.