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Lot 333
  • 333

Probably Italian, 17th/18th century

Estimate
15,000 - 25,000 USD
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Description

  • Écorché man
  • wax, set with glass eyes
  • Probably Italian, 17th/18th century

Provenance

Christie's, London, 16 December 1986, lot 76

Condition

Surface abrasions, losses, and restorations. Restorations include: feet; lower shin of proper right leg; and hands. Several breaks with light repair including at knees, arms, and fingers. Toes lost on proper left foot. Surface with remainders of polychromy. Some hairline (stable) cracks, including one through his lower abdomen and a patch on one of his buttocks. Some cracks (also stable) around head. Beautifully modeled and would benefit from some conservation.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

The earliest documented anatomical sculpture representing the human body was a red wax figure of a flayed man (now in the Bargello, Florence) modeled by the Florentine mannerist sculptor, Lodovico Cardi, called ‘Il Cigoli’ (1559 – 1613) who attended hospital dissections to better his understanding of the body. Like Cigoli, a century later, the Sicilian abbot and sculptor Gaetano Zumbo (1656-1701) studied anatomy in Bologna which quickly became a center for the production of anatomical waxes. The 18th century saw an increase in these wax models not only as sculpture but also as a means to train doctors, surgeons and midwives. In fact Bolognese artists, such as Ercole Lelli (1702-1766), Giovanni Manzolini, (1700-1755) and Anna Morandi (1716- 1774), were so occupied with the accuracy or their models that they formed their sculptures around human skulls and bones.