ANTIQUE MARBLE SCULPTURE.

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THE LAUGHING BOY WITH FROG FOUNTAIN
BY RAFFAELLO ROMANELLI (1856-1928)

Signed: Raffaello Romanelli.

Florentine. Italian – Late 19^th/Early 20^th Century

An important sculptural Florentine Fountain in finely cast and richly patinated  Bronze with a rich red Rosso Verona Marble by Raffaello Romanelli, the leading Italian Sculptor of his day, who also made the tomb of  Donatello in Santa Croce.

In excellent original condition, the circular fountain basin is supported by the bronze figure of a youthful satyr, seated astride a dolphin, on a circular marble base, and surmounted by the bronze figure of a laughing putto or baby boy, standing with arms raised in delighted surprise, while a frog, plumbed to issue water from his mouth, sits on the fountain rim.

Raffaello Romanelli was born in Florence, studied with his father, Pasquale Romanelli (also a celebrated sculptor and pupil of Bartolini) and then with Professor Rivalta and Emilio Zocchi at the Academy, where he was awarded every possible prize, and appointed Professor. He exhibited in Italy, London and Paris, becoming the foremost Italian sculptor of his day. Other works include the Monument to King Charles in Romania, Monument to Czar Alexander II in Russia , the Garibaldi Monument  in Siena and the Monument to William Penn in Philadelphia.

This superb fountain demonstrates the richness of  Romanelli’s Renaissance inheritance, evincing as it does familiarity with the work of Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-1488), Francois Du Quesnoy (1594-1643) and Pietro Tacca (1577-1640) and the fountains of 1627 in the Piazza Santissima Annunsiata, Florence.

Provenance: A signed letter from the Artist accompanies this work.

Height: 68” (173 cm).  Diameter: 36” (91 cm)