Ettore Ximenes

ETTORE XIMENES (Palermo, 1855 - Rome, 1926)
"Young man playing the mandolin".1880.
Sculpture in Carrara marble.
Signed and dated on the bottom.
Measurements: 70 x 43 x 35 cm.

Sculpture in Carrara marble representing a young woman seated, concentrating on the execution of a melody with the mandolin. She wears a long dress with abundant draperies, under which small feet show with high heels. The figure is wrapped in a fringed shawl, whose fabric is realistically reproduced, showing the technical virtuosity of the sculptor in the treatment of marble.

The curly hairstyle and the serene and self-absorbed face, with the head slightly tilted towards the instrument, reinforce the intimate and contemplative character of the scene. The seat is practically hidden under the fall of the dress, whose train glides along the floor in elegant, naturalistic folds.

The apparent ductility of the marble and the meticulousness in the description of the textures, from the softness of the skin to the lightness of the fabric, are testimony to Ximenes' technical mastery and expressive sensitivity.

Stylistically, the work is part of the Italian realism and verism of the end of the century, with echoes of late romanticism and nineteenth-century taste for the sentimental and anecdotal representation of the female figure.

Ettore Ximenes was an Italian sculptor who specialized in works of religious and mythological inspiration with a strong realist tendency. He was the author of numerous works in Italy, the United States and Argentina. Between 1919 and 1926, he lived in São Paulo, where he worked with the architect Manfredo Manfredi on the Brazilian Independence Monument. In São Paulo he had many disciples, such as the sculptor Luis Morrone. In the city of Buenos Aires one of his best known works is the mausoleum dedicated to Manuel Belgrano. Museums where his work is preserved: Museo Michelangiolesco, Caprese Michelangelo; Villino Ximenes, Rome.