SOTHEBY'S TO SELL SCULPTURES DISCOVERED IN IRELAND

ON 8.JULY IN A SALE OF EUROPEAN SCULPTURE AND WORKS OF ART, SOTHEBY'S, LONDON WILL OFFER THREE SPECTACULAR SCULPTURES RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN IRELAND. WHEN SOTHEBY'S SCULPTURE SPECIALIST ERIK BIJZET FIRST SAW THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SCULPTURES THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT INTO SOTHEBY'S DUBLIN OFFICE, HE WAS IMMEDIATELY STRUCK BY THEIR INTRINSIC QUALITY AND IMPORTANCE. CREATED IN 19th CENTURY ROME, THE WORKS ARE SEMINAL EXAMPLES OF NEO-CLASSICAL SCULPTURE AND PROVIDE A RARE OCCASION TO ACQUIRE FRESH TO THE MARKET PIECES IN MINT CONDITION. UNDOUBTEDLY, THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE GROUP OF THREE FIGURES IS AN EXCEPTIONAL SCULPTURE BY THE NORTHERN ARTIST RUDOLPH SCHADOW ENTITLED DIE SPINNERIN, ESTIMATED AT £120,000-180,000. THE MARBLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE ARTIST'S BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVEMENT AND THE WORK WITH WHICH HIS REPUTATION RESTS. SCHADOW HAD ARRIVED IN ROME IN 1812 TO FULLY ABSORB THE LEGACY OF SCULPTURE FROM CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY AND WORK WITH THE MASTER ANTONIO CANOVA. THE SCULPTURE OF A YOUNG GIRL SPINNING WAS FIRST CONCEIVED IN 1816 AND SCHADOW WENT ON TO PRODUCE VERSIONS FOR SUCH EMINENT PATRONS AS THE THE PRUSSIAN KING, PRINCE LUDWIG OF BAVARIA, AMONG OTHERS. THE IRISH GRAND TOURIST HENRY PATTEN WAS ONE OF MANY WHO FOLLOWED THE FASHIONABLE EXAMPLE SET BY THE WEALTHY AS THEY TOURED EUROPE, COMMISSIONING WHILE ON THEIR TRAVELS WORKS OF ART FROM ARTISTS RESIDING ABROAD. PATTEN COMMISSIONED THE WORK IN 1819 FOR HIS HOUSE IN WESTPORT. THE TWO REMAINING SCULPTURES TO EMERGE FROM THE HOUSE ARE A PAIR OF MARBLE FIGURES, VENUS ITALICA AND HEBE, FROM THE WORKSHOP OF ANTONIO CANOVA. THEY WERE CARVED DURING CANOVA'S LIFETIME, A YEAR FOLLOWING PATTEN'S COMMISSION. THEY ARE ESTIMATED AT £60,000-80,000