Reclining Nymph with Small Dog

This statuette is modeled after a figure from the celebrated fountain of the Austrian rivers in Vienna by Georg Raphael Donner, the leading sculptor of his day. The work may have been modeled by one of the many sculptors who were influenced by Donner’s classicizing style. The softness of the lead in which the figure is cast enhances the subtle effects of the nymph’s soft flesh and the tactility of the sheets and drapery around her.

Small sculptures cast in metal or ceramic not only satisfied collectors’ desire to acquire works by well-known masters, but helped promote a sculptor’s oeuvre to wider audiences. For instance, small bronzes by Cellini, Giambologna, and other Italian Renaissance artists that drew heavily on antique models were sought after for princely collections, where they could be admired and studied by other sculptors.