It was listed by Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1900s.
In his work he combined forms of Neoclassicism and Art Nouveau . He learned his craft at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. He founded his own workshop in Volterra, Italy in 1879 where he worked in alabaster, marble and bronze. He exhibited at The World Exposition of Paris in 1889 and in Turin and St. Louis. Bessi was the Director of the Volterra School of Art from 1891 to 1910 and taught there until his death. This facility is considered the world's only art school for alabaster art. It was founded because natural alabaster near Volterra has been mined and processed since at least the sixth century BC. Some of his works are inscribed with Prof. before his name.This work is titled "Beatrice" after the character in Dante's Divine Comedy. Dante drew inspiration for the character from his acquaintance with Beatrice di Folco Portinari with whom he fell in love. The character, Beatrice, serves as a guide to the underworld in the Divine Comedy. The head of this bust was executed in alabaster, and the torso is carved from coloured marble. Her delicate, serene features plus the folds of her hair and headscarf convey the mastery of the artist.
SIZE: height 8.5 inches, width 8 inches, depth 4 inches.
PROVENANCE: In one family collection for over 100 years.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1900s.
Roy and nadine precious: specialists in portraiture from the 16th to the 20th century. Established in 1972.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art Profile Page
Portrait of Beatrice: Marble and Alabaster Bust C.1900 by Giuseppe Bessi.
