Lot 208: Attributed to the Workshop of Agostino Corsini, Italian (1688-1772) A terracotta bozetto depicting the Virgin and Child

of oval form, the virgin seated and looking upwards, the Christ Child positioned across her body and holding a sphere, within a later giltwood frame, losses, cracks, 37cm high (93" high)

The modelling of the figures and overall style of the present relief are comparable to known, signed reliefs by Corsini. For example the 'Worship of the Golden Calf' in the Victoria and Albert Museum. A comparable relief attributed to circle of Corsini was sold at Christies, again of oval form and with the same swirling clouds that are visible in the present lot. (See Christies New York, 11 January 1994, lot 70).

Corsini produced numerous works whilst in his native Bologna, for example the figure of St Peter on the facade of the Duomo and the facade sculpture of the Monte di Pieta. However he also worked in Rome producing a figure for the Trevi fountain in 1735, and spent the years 1740-4 based there.

Related Literature: C. Avery Finger Prints of the Artist, European Terra Cotta from the Sackler Collections p. 120.
J. Pope-Hennessy Italian Sculpture at the V & A 1964, V II, p. 660 & V III, p. 409.