Estimate

12.000 - 16.000

Session 1

28 May 2019

Hammer Price

Description

Marble sculpture
Italy, 19th C.

Height: 45 cm

Category

Sculpture

Additional Information

The Medusa Rondanini, dating to the late Hellenistic period or a Roman copy, gets its name from the Rondanini family palace, in Rome. Bought by king Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786-1868) in his European Grand Tour it belongs today to the Munich Glyptothek Museum collection.
The sculpture reaches the peak of its fame between the late 18th century and 1815. The renowned sculptor Antonio Canova adopts it as the model for his work “Perseus with the Head of Medusa” (1798-1801), adding to its fame. But Canova was simply one of many artists working in Rome that replicated the image.
The continued fame of the Rondanini Medusa will eventually extend to the 20th century when it becomes the inspiration for the Versace fashion house logo.