Italian Antique Bronze Sculpture of Marshall Ney by Giuseppe Grandi

GIUSEPPE GRANDI
Italian, 1843-1894

"Marshall Ney" (1874/75)

Lost-wax cast bronze
Signed "Grandi" on proper left front of base

13 1/4" H x 5 3/8" D x 5 5/8" W

Provenance: Carabelli Collection, Italy; there acquired for the Gilgore Collection, Naples, Florida

Exhibited: Chiseled with a Brush, Italian Sculpture 1860-1925 from the Gilgore Collection, Wardropper & Licht, The Art Institute of Chicago, 1994, p. 52-53

A fine modernist model depicting Marshall Ney in a moment of quiet reflection rather than martial action. The general is shown in correct uniform with epaulettes, greatcoat and cockaded hat, though these details are handled with a sketch-like freedom characteristic of Grandi’s impressionistic modeling. Ney stands with one leg crossed over the other, leaning on his sheathed sabre which rests in the ground. His pose is informal, with one arm set at his side and his coat slung over the shoulder, while his downward gaze and tilted hat obscure the face emphasizing an introspective character.

This treatment diverges from more conventional heroic representations of Ney, notably that of François Rude, in which the marshal advances in a commanding gesture. Grandi instead presents a subdued and contemplative figure, reflecting a broader shift away from idealized commemoration toward a more personal and atmospheric interpretation. The sculpture places less emphasis on specific episodes from Ney’s military career and instead focuses on his enduring reputation for loyalty and resolve.

First exhibited at the Brera Academy as the work of an anonymous artist, the model later appeared in several variants, including plaster versions and marble examples shown in Milan exhibitions. More than one bronze cast of the composition appears to have been produced. The present work reflects Grandi’s engagement with the retrospective interpretation of historical subjects, conveyed through abbreviated form and tonal surface treatment.

Giuseppe Grandi was an Italian sculptor active in Milan during the second half of the nineteenth century, also working in painting and printmaking. Though best known for major public monuments such as Cesare Beccaria and the Monument to the Five Days, his smaller studies, marked by expressive modeling and pictorial surface effects, were influential among contemporaries.

Born in Ganna, he trained as a stone carver before moving to Milan, where he worked with terracotta makers and studied at the Brera Academy. Early recognition came with an academic prize for Ulysses Bending His Bow. He later worked in Turin and contributed to sculptural commissions in Lombardy, including work for Milan Cathedral.

Grandi became associated with the Scapigliatura movement, an avant-garde circle in Milan that rejected academic conventions in favor of more atmospheric, experimental approaches to form and surface. This influence is evident in his naturalistic poses, abbreviated detail, and emphasis on light and texture.

His mature work of the 1870s reflects a range of approaches, from heightened sentiment to more forceful and abstract compositions. His most significant project, the Monument to the Five Days, occupied him until his death and stands as a major statement, combining contemporary subject matter with innovative formal treatment.

Condition: Fine original condition. Very subtle curving to the edges of the base rim. Minor rubbing to the patination, largely intentional to create nuance; trace verdigris in crevices. A powerful presentation, sealed in fresh conservator's wax, ready to place.

ref. 601LMY23P