Giuseppe Gambogi

GIUSEPPE GAMBOGI (Italy, 1862-1938)
"Young woman leaning on pedestal", ca.1900.
Sculpture carved in white marble and polychrome alabaster.
Signed on the pedestal, on the right side.
It has slight flaws and restorations on the side of the base.
Measurements: 98 x 47 x 38 cm.

Magnificent sculpture in marble and alabaster signed by Giuseppe Gambogi, one of the maximum exponents of the carving in noble materials in Florence between the centuries. The work represents a young woman of elegant bearing leaning on an architectural element, resolved in a refined serpentine composition.

The piece stands out for the virtuoso use of stone polychromy: Gambogi takes advantage of the natural veins and the light transparency of the alabaster to confer an almost ethereal quality to the dress, in contrast with the satin smoothness of the skin, carved in fine-grained marble.

The execution of the details is particularly remarkable, from the complexity of the hairstyle and the ornamental headdress to the delicacy of the sandals and the diaphanous folds of the skirt, which seem to defy the rigidity of the stone. All this is evidence of a high technical virtuosity and an absolute mastery of sculptural work.

The work is part of the Belle Époque aesthetic, in the transition between late Romanticism and Art Nouveau, characterized by sensual elegance, flowing lines and a strong decorative sense. This type of compositions, centered on the idealized female figure, were especially appreciated in the international bourgeois sphere.

Gambogni lived in Paris and exhibited repeatedly in French salons. His works are in solid demand in the market today, especially those that combine marble and alabaster with this level of quality and conservation. Because of its size, material richness and technical refinement, this sculpture is an outstanding example of the artist's production and a piece of great collector appeal.