Benedetto Boschetti

BENEDETTO BOSCHETTI (act. 1820-1870).
Centerpiece, c. 1850.
Patinated bronze; yellow Siena marble; Belgian black marble.
Signed on base.
Measurements: 36.5 x 38 x 38 cm.

Centerpiece made by the workshop of Benedetto Boschetti, in patinated bronze and marbles of great quality. The composition presents three atlantes of marked neoclassical inspiration, modeled with anatomical vigor, holding on their backs a plate carved in yellow Siena marble. The whole rests on a base in Belgian black marble.

Active approximately between 1820 and 1870, Boschetti was considered one of the most eclectic and visionary "marmorari" of his time. His Roman workshop achieved great international prestige and participated in the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851, standing out for the extraordinary quality of his works inspired by classical antiquity. As S. Bonfigli noted in 1856, "his establishment stood out for the variety and excellence of its marble and bronze productions".

The Boschetti workshop's creations responded to the growing demand for high art objects with classical themes, driven by the rise of the Grand Tour, especially among British collectors. This centerpiece is a remarkable example of such production, in which classical tradition is interpreted with elegance and technical virtuosity, intended for a cultured and cosmopolitan clientele.