NEW YORK—With the launch of their first collaborative exhibit “Body and Soul: Masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque Sculpture” at Moretti Fine Art, opening Oct. 21, two renowned Renaissance and Baroque fine art specialists, Andrew Butterfield and Fabrizio Moretti join a growing number of important galleries and museums that have recently mounted exhibitions focusing on Old Master sculpture.
The Body and Soul exhibit is a group of twelve rare masterpieces of Italian sculpture, which are on view for the first time.
The works that Butterfield and Moretti have acquired for this exhibition, all museum quality, including sculptures by Riccio (the subject of a recent exhibition at the Frick Collection), Verrocchio (Leonardo da Vinci’s teacher) and Algardi, achieve not only the outer appearance but also the inner life of the figures they represent, hence the exhibition’s title, “Body and Soul.”
“Over the past few years, we have made significant discoveries, which exemplify the genius and beauty of Italian sculpture,” said Fabrizio Moretti, owner of a Florence based fine art gallery, and London-based Moretti Fine Art Ltd.
The Body and Soul exhibit is a group of twelve rare masterpieces of Italian sculpture, which are on view for the first time.
The works that Butterfield and Moretti have acquired for this exhibition, all museum quality, including sculptures by Riccio (the subject of a recent exhibition at the Frick Collection), Verrocchio (Leonardo da Vinci’s teacher) and Algardi, achieve not only the outer appearance but also the inner life of the figures they represent, hence the exhibition’s title, “Body and Soul.”
“Over the past few years, we have made significant discoveries, which exemplify the genius and beauty of Italian sculpture,” said Fabrizio Moretti, owner of a Florence based fine art gallery, and London-based Moretti Fine Art Ltd.
International Interest Converges on Sculpture
There is a recent trend of highlighting sculpture in the art world, according to Butterfield.
“This renewed focus is evident in a number of shows that have opened recently,” he said.
In America and Europe, multiple exhibitions opened in October and September. Butterfield also points out the tremendous collection of sculpture the Prince of Liechtenstein is gathering for the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna. Earlier this year, he paid over $15 million for a single Renaissance bronze.
According to Butterfield, the driving force behind this current interest is the fact that Old Master sculpture is one of the last remaining fields in which it’s still possible to discover overlooked masterpieces by the greatest artists.
“This renewed focus is evident in a number of shows that have opened recently,” he said.
In America and Europe, multiple exhibitions opened in October and September. Butterfield also points out the tremendous collection of sculpture the Prince of Liechtenstein is gathering for the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna. Earlier this year, he paid over $15 million for a single Renaissance bronze.
According to Butterfield, the driving force behind this current interest is the fact that Old Master sculpture is one of the last remaining fields in which it’s still possible to discover overlooked masterpieces by the greatest artists.
“You can barely do so in Old Master paintings and drawings, and it is virtually impossible in antiquities as well as in Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art,” he said. “But in Old Master sculpture, newly discovered objects of supreme significance are found almost every month. In this field you might find sculptures by Donatello, Bernini, or Verrocchio. Meanwhile, in Old Master painting it’s considered a big deal if you find a work by a pupil of Verrocchio.”
Take for example one of the greatest bronzes in the history of European art: the life-size “Corpus,” which Bernini made for himself in the 1650s. It went missing in the 18th century and when it reappeared in Venice in 1909 no one knew who had created it. It was bought and taken to New York, where in the 1930s, it passed into the collection of Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge.
The piece went up for auction following Geraldine’s death in 1975, but the “anonymous bronze” failed to sell. In fact, it didn’t receive a single bid—even at $200. Meanwhile, as she was a famous dog breeder, her bronze statuettes of dogs were sold for thousands of dollars.
Take for example one of the greatest bronzes in the history of European art: the life-size “Corpus,” which Bernini made for himself in the 1650s. It went missing in the 18th century and when it reappeared in Venice in 1909 no one knew who had created it. It was bought and taken to New York, where in the 1930s, it passed into the collection of Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge.
The piece went up for auction following Geraldine’s death in 1975, but the “anonymous bronze” failed to sell. In fact, it didn’t receive a single bid—even at $200. Meanwhile, as she was a famous dog breeder, her bronze statuettes of dogs were sold for thousands of dollars.
After years of being overlooked at auctions, in 2005, through Butterfield’s efforts, the work’s identification was finally confirmed. As a result, it was purchased and gifted to the Art Gallery of Ontario a year later for an undisclosed sum known to be in the range of tens of millions of dollars.
“Madonna” by Andrea Riccio (circa 1510), a life-size sculpture, is the first statue of the artist to be rediscovered in many years. “This is a sculpture of extraordinary power,” said Butterfield. “It is like a great Bellini Madonna, only in 3-D.”
“Charity” (circa 1510), a terracotta statue, is a masterpiece by Jacopo Sansovino, who was, after Michelangelo, the leading sculptor of the 16th century. No work by the artist has come to light and been acquired by a museum since 1931. Sansovino is celebrated for the Raphaelesque style of his sculpture, and that is especially true of this work, with its exceptionally graceful pose and elegant draperies.
“Allegory, Model for the Catafalque of Carlo Barberini” (1630), by Alessandro Algardi,
represents Baroque sculpture at its best. Commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and made under the direction of Gianlorenzo Bernini, who was the mastermind of the project.
“Body and Soul: Masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque Sculpture”:
Oct. 21 through Nov. 19, 2010, at Moretti Fine Art, 24 East 80th Street, New York, www.andrewbutterfield.com and morettigallery.com.
Exhibition Highlights:
“Madonna” by Andrea Riccio (circa 1510), a life-size sculpture, is the first statue of the artist to be rediscovered in many years. “This is a sculpture of extraordinary power,” said Butterfield. “It is like a great Bellini Madonna, only in 3-D.”
“Charity” (circa 1510), a terracotta statue, is a masterpiece by Jacopo Sansovino, who was, after Michelangelo, the leading sculptor of the 16th century. No work by the artist has come to light and been acquired by a museum since 1931. Sansovino is celebrated for the Raphaelesque style of his sculpture, and that is especially true of this work, with its exceptionally graceful pose and elegant draperies.
“Allegory, Model for the Catafalque of Carlo Barberini” (1630), by Alessandro Algardi,
represents Baroque sculpture at its best. Commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and made under the direction of Gianlorenzo Bernini, who was the mastermind of the project.
“Body and Soul: Masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque Sculpture”:
Oct. 21 through Nov. 19, 2010, at Moretti Fine Art, 24 East 80th Street, New York, www.andrewbutterfield.com and morettigallery.com.
