189

Pair of ivory sculptures, Volterra, 1930-1940

depicting a man and a woman. The female bust depicts a young woman with oriental features, with her hair gathered up in an elaborate hairstyle and a light dress with a deep V-neck. The work is distinguished by the delicacy of the facial lines and compositional balance, emphasising an exotic and graceful aesthetic ideal. The male bust, on the other hand, depicts a Napoleonic officer, recognisable by his typical bicorn and wrap-around uniform. The pensive gaze and the expertly rendered clothing details recall the classical iconography of Napoleon Bonaparte, albeit in a more stylised and collected version. The balance between the naturalistic rendering of the faces and the fineness of the workmanship makes these busts a representative example of Arnaldo Giannelli's artistic production.

Height x width x depth of man: 7 x 4.9 x 2.8 cm
Height x width x depth of base: 6 x 4 x 4 cm
Total weight of man: 165 g
Estimated weight of ivory: 80 g
Height x width x depth of woman: 6.7 x 5.2 x 3.1 cm
Height x width x depth base: 6 x 4 x 4 cm
Total weight woman: 158 g
This lot, accompanied by a CITES certificate and expertise issued by Ce.S.Ar Centro studi archeometici, is only available for sale with shipments within the European Union. (expertise Ce.S.Ar. 2025-104)
26/01/2026 21:45:34
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400,00 €
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Live auction 369

SILVER ANTIQUES, IVORIES, WUNDERKAMMER - Including selected Works of Art from the Count Luigi Rigi Luperti Collection

Palazzo Caetani Lovatelli, thu 19 February 2026
SINGLE SESSION 19/02/2026 Hours 15:00
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