Probably French, 'Fame', possibly 19th century

Fame

Probably French

Not on display

About the work

Overview

A life-size female nude with outspread wings alights upon a cloud, which is blown from a mask’s mouth. The mask is of Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind and of winter. In her outstretched right arm, she holds a long trumpet to her lips. In her left hand, she holds a shorter trumpet.

This bronze sculpture was probably made in France during the nineteenth century as a replica of a bronze of the same subject by Pierre Biard (1559–1601), La Renommée (Fame), which was made around 1597. Biard’s sculpture (now in the Louvre, Paris) was commissioned for a funerary monument. It is modelled on Giambologna’s bronze sculpture of the Roman god Mercury, which was made around 1580. Biard may have seen a cast of one of the four versions of this sculpture when he travelled to Rome between 1577 and 1580.

In-depth

This bronze sculpture is assembled from several separately made parts. It was probably made in France during the nineteenth century as a replica of a bronze of the same subject by Pierre Biard (1559–1601), La Renommée (Fame), which was made around 1597. Biard’s sculpture (now in the Louvre, Paris) was commissioned for a funerary monument. It is modelled on Giambologna’s bronze sculpture of the Roman god Mercury, which was made around 1580. A messenger of the gods, Mercury also guided souls to the underworld. Biard may have seen a cast of one of the four versions of this sculpture when he travelled to Rome between 1577 and 1580.

Key facts

Details

Full title: Fame
Artist: Probably French
Date made: possibly 19th century
Medium and support: bronze, cast
Dimensions: 166 × 144 × 87 cm
Acquisition credit: Presented by Sir Herbert Cook, Bt, through the Art Fund in memory of Sir Francis Cook, Bt, 1925
Inventory number: NG4105
Location: Not on display
Collection: Main Collection

Provenance

Perhaps from the Château de Richelieu, and from a Paris Sale in December 1854. In Sir Francis Cook’s Collection, Richmond; stated to have been acquired from Baron Gudin, and so probably in the Gudin Sale, Paris, 22/4 March, 1866 (lot 130); also doubtfully claimed to have been acquired in Paris ca. 1850/60; bequeathed in 1901 to Wyndham Cook. Wyndham Cook Sale, London, 8 June, 1925 (lot 259), bought by Spero; purchased by Sir Herbert Cook, 3rd Bart., and presented by him through the N.A.C.F. in memory of Sir Francis Cook, 1st Bart., 1925.

Additional information

Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Martin Davies, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: French School’, London 1957; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.

Bibliography

1946

Martin Davies, National Gallery Catalogues: French School, London 1946
1957

Martin Davies, National Gallery Catalogues: French School, 2nd edn (revised), London 1957
2001

C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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Room 39