AFTER THE ANTIQUE, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

This bronze is a copy of the original statue of Caesar Augustus from the 1st century B C. which was discovered at Prima Porta, near Rome, in 1863 and is currently in the Vatican collection. It is thought to have been the first work of sculpture in which the adlocutio stance was utilised, whereby the subject is given a bearing of power and influence by the use of a raised arm, suggesting that he is in the act of addressing his troops or an assembly. A popular 'Grand Tour' souvenir, high quality bronze reductions such as the present lot were cast by foundries including the Roman workshop of Benedetto Boschetti and J. Chiurazzi & Sons in Naples.