A builder's £300 acquisition from a reclamation yard is poised to achieve a staggering £100,000 at auction, following the identification of the piece as the work of a renowned Italian sculptor. The 290-year-old Italian marble maquette, depicting Pope Clement XII Corsini, was unearthed in Wiltshire by a collector who recognized its potential value.
The sculpture, measuring 26 inches, is attributed to Pietro Bracci, a prominent figure of the Italian Baroque period, celebrated for his work on the Trevi Fountain in Rome. This specific piece is believed to be the sole surviving maquette created in preparation for a large bronze statue that once adorned the Palazzo Nuovo on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. The original bronze statue no longer exists.
The anonymous seller has consigned the artwork to Salisbury-based auction house Woolley & Wallis, with a pre-sale estimate of £10,000. However, the auction house anticipates that international interest could drive the final price to ten times that amount.
Mark Yuan Richards, a furniture specialist at Woolley & Wallis, described the discovery as "exceptionally exciting." He noted that Bracci's works rarely appear on the market, making this a significant opportunity. "To have a rare eighteenth-century marble figure of Pope Clement XII by Pietro Bracci come to light, and now be offered for sale, is a remarkable opportunity," Richards stated.
The collector purchased the statue for £300, as the yard owners believed it to be made of concrete. "He had a feeling it was good, but he didn't know it was signed or how important it was," Richards explained. The maquette is described as being in weathered condition, having spent approximately 50 years outdoors, but is considered unique given the destruction of the original bronze.
Bracci, a significant artist in 18th-century Rome, also created portraits and tombs for other Popes. He was commissioned in 1736 to create the bronze statue, funded by the Roman Senate, to honor the Pope's contribution to the Capitoline Museums. Pope Clement XII's papacy (1730-1740) was characterized by a revitalization of Rome's artistic and civic landscape, including the inception of the Trevi Fountain project.
The bronze statue was moved from the Palazzo Nuovo and subsequently melted down in 1798 during the First Republic. Prior to the discovery of this marble maquette, the only known representation of the lost bronze was an engraving by Stefano and Rocco Pozzi.
The sculpture is scheduled for auction on October 8. Until this discovery, the only known representation of the former bronze was an engraving by Stefano and Rocco Pozzi. The statue will be sold on October 8.
