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ID #SA1243560
FOR SALE
£3,800
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Grand Tour Alabaster Bust of Socrates
For sale by Cella
for sale €4,446     $4,826
£3,800
Cella

Cella

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2019
Browse dealers 79 items
  • About Us
    Specialists in the grand tour and french decorative objects, clocks and furniture, circa 1780-1880.
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Id #SA1243560
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Grand Tour Alabaster Bust of Socrates

19th century
For Sale by Cella
Description

Superb, late 19th century Grand Tour alabaster portrait bust of one of the titans of Greek philosophy, Socrates, perhaps the most famous figure of Western philosophical tradition. Fine example, after the antique, in beautiful mottled figured alabaster with Socrates wearing a classical toga. Well carved example which is very probably based on the portrait bust of Socrates in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. Raised on an associated marble socle. Italy, probably Rome, circa 1870.

Date of Manufacture

Cella has dated these Alabaster Bust of Socrates to the 1870s.

Independent Date Check ID 09704920
Dealer's Item Date1870s
Sellingantiques Date1870s
Sellingantiques agingItem 125-170 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1870s:
Deeply carved and drilled curls in the beard: nineteenth-century Italian Grand Tour craftsmanship.
Softly rounded drapery folds across the chest: hand carving after classical Roman originals.
Turned marble socle: traditional mounting style favoured for nineteenth-century library sculptures.
Mellow patination settling into the deep crevices: natural ageing over many decades indoors.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
56cm (22.05")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
22cm (8.66")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1243560
Dealers Internal Reference
CA648
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
Superb, late 19th century Grand Tour alabaster portrait bust of one of the titans of Greek philosophy, Socrates, perhaps the most famous figure of Western philosophical tradition.
“
Fine example, after the antique, in beautiful mottled figured alabaster with Socrates wearing a classical toga.
Cella

Well carved example which is very probably based on the portrait bust of Socrates in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. Raised on an associated marble socle. Italy, probably Rome, circa 1870.

Date of Manufacture

Cella has dated these Alabaster Bust of Socrates to the 1870s.

Independent Date Report ID 09704920
Dealer's Item Date1870s
Sellingantiques dating1870s
Sellingantiques agingItem 125-170 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1870s:
Deeply carved and drilled curls in the beard: nineteenth-century Italian Grand Tour craftsmanship.
Softly rounded drapery folds across the chest: hand carving after classical Roman originals.
Turned marble socle: traditional mounting style favoured for nineteenth-century library sculptures.
Mellow patination settling into the deep crevices: natural ageing over many decades indoors.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
56cm (22.05")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
22cm (8.66")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1243560
Dealers Internal Ref
CA648
Cella
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

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A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base.
1 / 5
Archive I A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base.

Grand Tour Alabaster Bust of Socrates

Archive II A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base. View II
Archive III A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base. View III
Archive IV A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base. View IV
Archive V A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Cella

Cella
Telephone 020 8299 4945
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified Since May 2019
Items For Sale 79
Items Sold 306
Cella
Cella
Verified Since May 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/cellantiques
Verified
May 2019
For Sale
79
Sold
306
A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base.
Grand Tour alabaster bust of Socrates
Ref: SA1243560
A carved alabaster portrait bust depicting the Greek philosopher Socrates, mounted on a circular turned pedestal base.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectBusts
  • Period19th century
  • StyleNeoclassical
  • MaterialAlabaster
  • ColourCream
  • MotifsBearded face, Draped toga, Turned circular pedestal
  • SizeH 56 cm (22 in) x W 28 cm (11 in) x D 22 cm (9 in)

This Neoclassical Grand Tour portrait bust of Socrates originates from Italy around 1870. Sculpted from mottled cream alabaster with natural variations in tone, the piece depicts the philosopher with a detailed curly beard and a draped toga secured with a circular brooch on the right shoulder. The bust rests on an associated circular turned marble socle featuring tiered mouldings and a stepped pedestal base. Visible signs of age include subtle surface weathering, faint mineral inclusions, and minor tonal patches across the stone. Dimensions measure 56 cm high, 28 cm wide, and 22 cm deep. Suitable for display in a gentleman's library or study, the sculpture perches effectively upon a sturdy bookshelf, a mantelpiece, or a dedicated plinth. The neutral tones of the carved stone integrate seamlessly into traditional or scholarly interior schemes, positioned to command attention as a focal point among collections of literature or historical artefacts.

FAQs

During the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy European travellers undertaking the Grand Tour acquired small-scale alabaster or marble copies of classical Greek and Roman sculptures as educational souvenirs.

Classical busts were traditionally carved from fine white marble or alabaster, often set upon a turned circular socle or pedestal base carved from the same stone material.

Authentic period pieces typically feature hand-carving marks, soft edge wear, natural veining or subtle discolouration within the stone, and traditional socketed base assembly.

A carved stone bust provides classical structure when placed on a dark timber mantelpiece, displayed alongside modern art on a bookshelf, or positioned on a hallway console table.

Alabaster is a soft mineral that should be dusted gently with a soft dry brush or microfibre cloth, avoiding water, chemical solvents, and high humidity.
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