Allegorical bust; Spanish or Italian school; early 18th century.

Allegorical bust; Spanish or Italian school; early 18th century.
Marble.
It presents faults and restorations.
Measurements: 97 x 70 x 30 cm.
This carved marble sculpture presents a clear inspiration of classical statuary, approaching to a great extent to works of the Roman imperial period. The piece shows the bust of a beautiful young woman with softly carved features, endowed with a gentleness accentuated by her hair and the delicate movement of her face. The figure has been softly carved showing a great care in the definition of her clothes that allow the viewer to observe how the artist recreates the details that cause the folds of the cloths, creating different volumes and textures that provide a delicate play of light and shadows that enriches the volume and verism of the work.
This type of work is inspired by the sculptures made during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, especially in Italy. These took as an example the Roman statuary, found in the Italian capital, in which different marbles were combined, but without such a high contrast. This interest was enhanced by archaeological discoveries that revealed the tastes and customs of classical antiquity. It is true that during the neoclassicism the art of antiquity was reinterpreted adapting it to the taste of the time. Stylistically, it highlights the idealization of the figure detail also inspired by these ancient examples, with a treatment of hair somewhat pictorialist, which was also common at times.