{"product_id":"venetian-boxwood-lion-saint-mark-giuseppe-torretti-ebony-plinth","title":"Venetian Boxwood Lion of Saint Mark on Ebony Plinth circa 1700","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis boxwood sculpture of the Lion of Saint Mark, mounted upon a ripple-molded ebony plinth, serves as a sophisticated testament to the \"Golden Age\" of Venetian woodcarving at the turn of the 18th century. Stylistically and materially, the piece inhabits the restless, intellectual milieu of the Venetian Baroque, a period defined by theatricality, technical bravura, and the cross-pollination of Northern European craftsmanship with Italian dramatic form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround the year 1700, the Venetian sculptural tradition was dominated by a \"frantic\" aesthetic—a reaction against the static nature of earlier classicism. This style, pioneered by the eccentric Francesco Pianta and codified by Giuseppe Torretti (1664–1743), prioritized the \"\u003cem\u003enon-finito\u003c\/em\u003e\" or \"off-the-tool\" finish. Unlike the fluid, sanded surfaces found in the furniture of Andrea Brustolon, this sculpture displays a granular, high-energy surface texture. The use of long, decisive gouges to define the lion’s mane suggests a carver who treated the dense boxwood as a monumental medium, capturing a sense of \"agitation\" and movement that mirrors the great marble works of the Gesuiti.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the sculpture lacks the extreme refinement of an autograph work by a master of the first rank, its technical competence and expensive mounting suggest it is a high-level production from the Circle of Giuseppe Torretti. Before his departure for Rome in 1710, Torretti’s \u003cem\u003ebottega\u003c\/em\u003e was a hub of virtuoso activity. The \"humanized\" or anthropomorphic facial expression of the lion—a hallmark of Torretti’s psychological approach to animalier subjects—suggests a senior assistant or a close family associate, such as his nephew Giuseppe Bernardi, working from a master’s \u003cem\u003ebozzetto\u003c\/em\u003e (model). The visibility of the chisel marks was a deliberate choice, intended to appeal to a sophisticated \"Grand Tour\" clientele who prized the visible hand of the artist and the raw vitality of the sculptural process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pairing of materials is perhaps the object’s most significant diagnostic feature. The boxwood (\u003cem\u003eBuxus sempervirens\u003c\/em\u003e), prized for its ivory-like density, allowed for the anatomical precision and expressive \"stern\" brow of the lion. Its placement upon an ebony plinth featuring ripple-molding (\u003cem\u003eFlammleisten\u003c\/em\u003e) points to a fascinating cultural intersection. This specific woodworking technique, originated by Flemish and German cabinetmakers (\u003cem\u003eforestieri\u003c\/em\u003e), was highly fashionable in Venice circa 1690–1710. It frames the wild energy of the carving within a rigid, architectural order, marking it as a Cabinet Piece—an object of contemplation for a private collector’s study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe object’s biography extends beyond its Venetian origin into the 19th-century French market. The presence of a late 19th-century French newspaper fragment (likely \u003cem\u003eLa France\u003c\/em\u003e or a contemporary financial daily) on the underside of the ebony base documents its migration. It suggests the piece was a prized acquisition of a French aristocrat or bourgeois collector during the height of the \"Grand Tour\" revival. The paper likely served as a protective measure to stabilize the ancient ebony against modern surfaces, ensuring that the work—already two centuries old at the time—retained its integrity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Lion of Saint Mark is more than a symbol of the Republic; it is a survivor of a specific moment in art history when the boundaries between \"craft\" and \"fine art\" were blurred. Through its frantic tool-work and prestigious materials, it captures the essence of the Torretti workshop’s output: a work of vigorous personality and historical gravity that reflects the enduring allure of the Venetian Baroque.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/b\u003e Venice, Italy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/b\u003e Late 17th \/ Early 18th Century (Circa 1690–1710).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,2,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eStyle:\u003c\/b\u003e Venetian Baroque.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,3,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/b\u003e Carved Boxwood (\u003ci data-path-to-node=\"17,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"26\"\u003eBuxus sempervirens\u003c\/i\u003e) on a Ripple-Molded Ebony Plinth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,4,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e 4.25\" (w) x 5\" (h) x 2\" (d)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,5,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Remarkable antique condition; features a stabilized late 19th-century French newspaper fragment on the underside of the base, documenting its historical migration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,6,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17,6,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eDelivery:\u003c\/b\u003e Complimentary shipping within the USA is included in price. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17,6,0\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistorian's Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003eThe Lion of Saint Mark has served as the enduring symbol of Venetian power for a millennium, but this specific iteration captures the Republic at a fascinating stylistic crossroads. By 1700, Venice was the epicenter of a sculptural revolution led by Giuseppe Torretti (1664–1743). This piece exemplifies the transition from the theatricality of the high Baroque to a more emotive, humanized treatment of animal subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"21\"\u003eThe use of boxwood is particularly significant; its extreme density allowed carvers to achieve a level of anatomical precision usually reserved for bronze or marble. When paired with ripple-molded ebony—a technique synonymous with the highest tier of Flemish and German cabinetry—the object becomes a \"polymath\" piece. It reflects the cosmopolitan nature of Venice as a melting pot of European craftsmanship. Its preservation, evidenced by the 19th-century French provenance on its base, underscores its perennial status as an object of desire for the European elite during the Grand Tour revival. For the contemporary collector, it remains a superlative example of the \"\u003cem\u003enon-finito\u003c\/em\u003e\" philosophy—where the raw vitality of the carving is prized above mere decorative finish.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Le Historique","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45469935730867,"sku":null,"price":2295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/1298\/6035\/files\/BaroqueBoxwoodItaliansculptureoftheLionofSaintMarkca1700_04.jpg?v=1777091537","url":"https:\/\/www.lehistorique.com\/products\/venetian-boxwood-lion-saint-mark-giuseppe-torretti-ebony-plinth","provider":"Le Historique","version":"1.0","type":"link"}