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Sleeping Nymph and Satyr

Giambologna1580 - 1590

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Rotterdam, Netherlands

The reclining female nude was a favourite subject of Giovanni da Bologna, or Giambologna, as he was better known. Giambologna was Flemish, but spent most of his working life in Florence. Many casts of this sculpture were made, both during his lifetime and after his death. About eighteen are known today.

To meet the huge demand for his work, Giambologna created a division of labour in his workshop. Each of his pupils and assistants was responsible for completing a particular stage in the production process. Giambologna used wood or stone for most of his models, rather than wax, which is softer and more malleable. The reason was that wax melts when the mould is heated, so the original model is lost, whereas wood and stone can withstand high temperatures. The model therefore remains intact and can be re-used to produce new sculptures.

The large number of Giambologna’s sculptures in circulation makes it is difficult to identify those he actually cast himself, but the high quality of this satyr stealing up on a nymph points to the hand of the master or a member of his studio working under his direct supervision.

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  • Title: Sleeping Nymph and Satyr
  • Creator Lifespan: 1525 - 1608
  • Creator Nationality: Flemish
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Florence, Italy
  • Creator Birth Place: Douai, France
  • Date Created: 1580 - 1590
  • Theme: Mythology
  • Sculptor: Giambologna
  • Physical Dimensions: w335 x h195 x d170 cm (Complete)
  • Artist Information: The artist Giambologna, who came from French Flanders, was originally called Jean de Boulogne. In 1555 he left for Florence and assumed the name of Giambologna, derived from Giovanni de Bologna. He grew into Florence's most famous sculpture after Michelangelo. Giambologna developed a mannered style of sculpture, in which a sculpture was equally dynamic and appealing regardless of the angle from which it was viewed. Giambologna was awarded many large commissions, including the Neptune fountain in Bologna, the group of statues forming the Rape of the Sabine Virgins in Florence and the mounted statues of the Dukes of Florence. In his studio, he had very large series of small bronze replicas made of these masterpieces. These were very popular with collectors and were spread by them throughout Europe.
  • Type: Sculpture
  • Rights: Acquired with the collection of: D.G. van Beuningen 1958, http://collectie.boijmans.nl/en/disclaimer/
  • External Link: Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
  • Medium: Bronze
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

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