WORKSHOP OF NICOLÒ ROCCATAGLIATA (ACTIVE 1593-1636), VENETIAN OR PADUAN, EARLY 17TH CENTURY

Born in Genoa, Nicolò Roccatagliata was apprenticed to the goldsmith Cesare Groppo. He moved to Venice in 1593, but returned to Genoa in 1598, leaving numerous large scale models in the foundry workshops in Venice. As Avery describes, the style and technique of rapid modeling of Roccatagliata was inspired by Jacopo Sansovino, and the work of his major contemporary Vittoria. A vast range of bronze statuettes from the Venetian school, often including putti, is grouped under Roccatagliata’s name without substantiating evidence (loc. cit.). The animated curls, plump cheeks and theatrical poses of the present pair of winged putti blowing trumpets are the unmistakable product of Roccatagliata’s workshop in the early 17th century. They compare closely to two similar pairs of bronzes, one in the Estense Collection, Vienna (Planiscig, loc. cit) and another sold Christie’s, London, 6 July 2006, lot 24. The treatment of the hair, the modeling, the chiseling and the complete trumpets make this pair a particularly fine example.