Date
1834
Object Type
Statue
Subject
Ganimede
Holding institution
Accademia di Carrara
About The Work
Work by the sculptor Carlo Chelli (Carrara 1807 – Carrara 1877). The artist attended the Academy of Fine Arts Carrara and, in 1828, participated in the competition for the Roman Pensionato, which he won only in 1831. After completing his training in Rome in the studio of Carlo Finelli, he moved to Bologna, where he created funerary monuments and sculptures on religious themes. Returning to Rome in 1857, he continued his activity, executing the large sculpture of “Ezechiele” in the monument to the Immaculate Conception in Rome. Ganymede, the beautiful youth whom Jupiter caused to be abducted by an eagle to become cupbearer to the gods in place of Hebe, is here depicted in youthful form, in the act of pouring wine from a jug into a cup. In the iconography of this figure, Chelli introduces an innovative element: for the first time, Ganymede appears as a child and in an upright position while performing his duties at the table of the gods. The three Thorvaldsenian versions of the same subject, respectively of 1804, 1814, and 1815, depict Ganymede either as a standing adult or as a kneeling child attending the eagle that abducted him. Chelli thus mediates between the two forms, taking inspiration from the 1814 version for the posture but representing him as a child. In the plaster cast gallery of the Accademia di Carrara are preserved: the plaster high relief “Alessandro che si inchina davanti al gran sacerdote di Gerusalemme,” awarded at the Roman Pensionato of 1831; and the sculptures in the round “Aiace,” study of 1833; “Danzatrice,” study of 1835; “L’Innocenza,” 1853, donated by the artist; and “Paolo e Virginia,” 1863, donated by the artist. Until 1980, the large model of “Ezechiele” was present in the sculpture workshops, but it was unfortunately destroyed.
Title
GANIMEDE
Creator
Chelli Carlo
Subject
Ganimede
Object Type
Statue
Original Function
Pensionato. Second essay sent from Rome, 1834.
Date
1834
Inscriptions
On the base: "Carlo Chelli/ II essay/ Rome 1834"
Technique / Support
Chalk
Dimensions
cm 145
Holding institution
Accademia di Carrara
Bibliography
RUSSO S., CAROZZI R. (ed.), La gipsoteca dell'Accademia di belle arti di Carrara, Massa, 1996. / LAZZONI C., Carrara e le sue Ville. Carrara, 1880. / CAROZZI R., La scuola carrarese tra Canova e Bartolini, in: DE MICHELI M. (a cura di), Scultura Marmo Lavoro, Carrara, 1981. / RAGGI O., Della R. Accademia di belle arti di Carrara : memoria di Oreste Raggi per la grande esposizione di Vienna del 1873 con appendice di lettere inedite di famosi artisti e letterati suoi soci, Roma, 1873.
Conservation status
Fair
Restoration history
Restauro ABAC 2011
Unique identifier
0900254710