%20Ram.png/:/rs=w:1209,cg:true,m)
The Ram
Bronze Sculpture
The Ram
Grand Tour Bronze with Traces of Original Gilding on Siena Marble Socle
Italy, Mid-19th Century
A charming and highly evocative Grand Tour bronze depicting a ram's head, masterfully modeled and retaining traces of its original gilding. Executed in Italy during the mid-19th century, the work reflects the enduring fascination with the imagery of the ancient Mediterranean world that captivated travelers, collectors, and connoisseurs throughout the Grand Tour era.
The sculptor has captured the animal with remarkable sensitivity, balancing naturalistic observation with the idealized restraint associated with classical art. The elegantly curled horns frame a serene and noble expression, while subtle modeling throughout the muzzle and fleece lends the work a sculptural vitality far beyond its intimate scale. Time has softened the surface beautifully, revealing scattered remnants of gilding that enrich the dark patina and speak to the object's long history.
Mounted on a finely carved Siena yellow marble socle, whose warm golden tones harmonize beautifully with the surviving gilded highlights, the sculpture possesses both visual richness and architectural presence. The contrast between the textured bronze and luminous marble creates a sophisticated decorative object equally suited to a desk, library, cabinet, or curated collection of classical works.
Animal subjects held deep symbolic significance in the ancient world, and the ram in particular was associated with strength, sacrifice, fertility, and divine protection. Such themes resonated strongly with 19th-century collectors who sought tangible connections to the civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Elegant, sculptural, and rich in historical character, this finely executed Grand Tour bronze embodies the romance of antiquity in a highly collectible cabinet-scale form.
Dimensions: 7.5 inches high
Price $2,850
Ram
%20Ram.png/:/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)
