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an image of a statue of a man holding a bird in his handa bronze statue of a man with a bird in his handa figurine of a man with a beard and a hatan image of a statue of a man with a bird in his handbronze figurine of a man with a hat and robe on his headan image of a statue of a man with a beard and a hata gold figurine of a turtle on a white surface
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34 - Circle of Jacopo Sansovino (Florence, 1486 – Venice, 1570)

Estimate €1,000 - €2,500
Sale commission
Description
Circle of Jacopo Sansovino (Florence, 1486 – Venice, 1570) “Saint Ambrose” Bronze sculpture. 19 x 10 x 6,5 cm Our attribution is based on its comparison with a bronze representing a bishop (possibly Saint Augustine) that belongs to the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (No. 08.175.10). As the museum notes regarding their piece, the attribution to Sansovino is grounded in stylistic considerations. Valentiner identified the figures as two “Fathers of the Church,” and upon reassessing their authorship, he linked them to the circle of Michelangelo, relying on Bode’s opinion, which proposed Giovanni Angelo da Montorsoli as a possible author. Shortly thereafter, Breck described the figures more broadly as “bishops,” maintained their connection to the Michelangelesque sphere, and pointed out their formal affinity with a bronze Moses then owned by J. Pierpont Morgan and later incorporated into the Met. Regarding the authorship, although no definitive comparisons have emerged, the hypothesis of a Tuscan origin remains plausible. The bronzes display highly expressive faces, a monumental construction of the heads, and disproportionately large hands—visual traits that clearly evoke the Florentine sculptural tradition of the sixteenth century and that relate directly to Michelangelism, influences that shaped the formation and style of Giacopo Sansovino, active in Venice from 1527 until his death in 1570. Reference bibliography: - Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). 'Bishop (Saint Augustine?)'. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/190792
About the sale Objets d'art. L'art de l'objet
Auction location
Auction time 10/01/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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