Search 0
16,758  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 21 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
21 ITEMS ADDED TODAY
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1164671
FOR SALE
£5,500
Email
Save
Bronze Perseus with the Head of Medusa on Marble After Cellini
Cella
for sale €6,435     $6,985
£5,500

Cella

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2019
View Dealers Stock Page
  • About Us
    Specialists in the grand tour and french decorative objects, clocks and furniture, circa 1780-1880.
Relevant Links
Id #SA1164671
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Bronze Perseus with the Head of Medusa on Marble After Cellini

19th century
For Sale by Cella
Description

Rare large scale full length 19th century Grand Tour patinated library bronze model reduction of Perseus with the severed head of the gorgon Medusa after the original by Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571) in the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici in 1545 it was completed in 1554. Perseus stands naked except for a sash (inscribed with the sculptor's name) and winged sandals, triumphant on top of the body of Medusa with her head, crowned with writhing snakes, in his raised hand. As with the original, the statue sits on a marble square base with four niches in which sit four bronze figures that represent key characters from the story of Perseus – Jupiter, Mercury, Minerva and Danae with Perseus as a child. Rare elegant example with a rich dark patination. Florence, Italy, circa 1880.

Physical Dimensions
Height
96cm (37.80")
Width
24.5cm (9.65")
Depth
24.5cm (9.65")
Declaration

Cella has dated this Bronze Perseus Medusa Sculpture to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1164671
Dealers Internal Reference
CA1035
Dealers Notes

Based in London, we are dealers in fine decorative antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries. We specialise in this era of enlightenment, neoclassicism and the Grand Tour, with its far reaching influence on style and taste in Britain, Continental Europe and beyond: elegance in the age of Napoleon. Our extensive stock covers all aspects of this period and decorative antiques influenced by the period. We constantly source new, beautiful items and upload to our site regularly. We are first and foremost antique collectors with over thirty years of experience; we only buy what we love and we hope you will too. Additional images can be supplied on request. More items are available on our website http://www.cellantiques.co.uk. We ship worldwide.

Description
Rare large scale full length 19th century Grand Tour patinated library bronze model reduction of Perseus with the severed head of the gorgon Medusa after the original by Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571) in the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici in 1545 it was completed in 1554.
“
Perseus stands naked except for a sash (inscribed with the sculptor's name) and winged sandals, triumphant on top of the body of Medusa with her head, crowned with writhing snakes, in his raised hand.
Cella

As with the original, the statue sits on a marble square base with four niches in which sit four bronze figures that represent key characters from the story of Perseus – Jupiter, Mercury, Minerva and Danae with Perseus as a child. Rare elegant example with a rich dark patination. Florence, Italy, circa 1880.

Height
96cm (37.80")
Width
24.5cm (9.65")
Depth
24.5cm (9.65")
Date of Manufacture

Cella has dated this Bronze Perseus Medusa Sculpture to the 1880s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1164671
Dealers Internal Ref
CA1035
Cella
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2019

Specialists in the grand tour and french decorative objects, clocks and furniture, circa 1780-1880.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Cella Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal.
1 / 8
Archive I A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal.

Bronze Perseus with the Head of Medusa on Marble After Cellini

Archive II A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View II
Archive III A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View III
Archive IV A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View IV
Archive V A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View V
Archive VI A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View VI
Archive VII A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View VII
Archive VIII A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal. View VIII
Enlarged Archival View

Cella
Telephone 020 8299 4945
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified Since May 2019
Items For Sale 74
Items Sold 301
Cella
Verified Since May 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified
May 2019
For Sale
74
Sold
301
A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal.
Bronze Perseus with the Head of Medusa on marble after Cellini
Ref: SA1164671
A dark bronze sculpture depicting Perseus standing over a vanquished figure while holding the severed head of Medusa, set upon an ornate carved white marble pedestal.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

FAQs

Originally created by Benvenuto Cellini in 1554 for the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, the Mannerist sculpture depicts the Greek hero after slaying Medusa. Smaller-scale bronze reductions became highly popular during the 19th-century Grand Tour era as decorative souvenirs for European collectors.

These sculptures were traditionally crafted using the lost-wax (cire perdue) casting technique, allowing for intricate anatomical and drapery detail. The cast bronze was then hand-chased, treated with a dark chemical patina, and mounted onto a carved marble or alabaster plinth.

Authentic period reductions exhibit precise hand-chasing, crisp detail around the hands, hair, and face, and natural patina wear along raised edges. The accompanying marble plinths typically display hand-carved relief panels and subtle, age-consistent wear along the base edges.

A classical bronze statue serves as a focal point when set on a sideboard, console, or mantelpiece against neutral walls. Pairing dark metalwork with clean contemporary furniture creates visual balance through contrast between classical geometry and modern minimalism.

Dust the figure regularly using a dry, soft microcrystalline cloth or soft bristle brush to prevent dust accumulation in detailed crevices. A thin application of clear microcrystalline wax once a year protects the metal patina, ensuring no liquid or chemical solvents contact the marble base.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Movements
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Freshness
Online Payments
Categories