Date

1700-1799

Object Type

Equestrian statue

Subject

Francesco III Duke of Modena

Holding institution

Accademia di Carrara

About The Work

This is the plaster bozzetto of the marble monument executed in 1774, "già collocato innanzi all'albergo dei poveri di (…) Modena, ed atterrato dalla rivoluzione del 1796", and therefore dating from before 1774. Stylistically, the classicizing reference to the Capitoline "Marco Aurelio" is clearly evident. Lazzoni, who records the work in the "Galleria delle Opere Moderne” at the Palazzo del Principe, erroneously attributed it to the Carrara canon Antonio Caruso, who donated it to the Accademia. It is instead a work executed by the sculptor Giovanni Antonio Cybei, the first professor of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara. In 1770 the master was granted the title of “Nostro Scultore in marmo“ by Duchess Maria Teresa Cybo, founder of the Accademia, and was commissioned by her to create the large equestrian monument dedicated to her father-in-law. In addition to documentary evidence, there survives the remarkable presence of an initial terracotta bozzetto and this final plaster bozzetto, which entered the plaster cast gallery of the Accademia as a commemorative gift of the Este dynasty. The plaster cast gallery of the Accademia di Carrara also preserves the terracotta bust of “La Duchessa di Massa Maria Teresa D’Este” 1770.

Title

FRANCESCO III DUCA DI MODENA

Creator

Cibei Giovanni Antonio

Subject

Francesco III Duke of Modena

Object Type

Equestrian statue

Original Function

Maquette of the equestrial sculpture. Donation. Copy cast in lost-mold.

Date

1700-1799

Technique / Support

Chalk

Dimensions

cm 82

Acquisition

Carusi Antonio Gift

Holding institution

Accademia di Carrara

Bibliography

RUSSO S., CAROZZI R. (a cura di), La gipsoteca dell'Accademia di belle arti di Carrara, Massa, 1996. / LAZZONI C., Carrara e le sue Ville. Carrara, 1880. / DE SIMONE G., FUSANI ANDREA (testi di), Giovanni Antonio Cybei e il suo tempo , guida alla mostra, Ospedaletto Pisa 2021

Conservation status

Fair

Unique identifier

0900254635