Neapolitan Fisherman Playing With A Turtle, Marble Sculpture After François Rude

Large marble sculpture representing a man sitting on a fishing net and playing with a turtle. Work from the end of the 19th century, unsigned, after the famous sculpture by François Rude exhibited at the Louvre.

Height 84cm Length 77cm

"Neapolitan fisherman playing with a turtle This is a genre scene (until then considered unworthy of statuary art) representing a young Neapolitan fisherman, recognizable by his cap, his net and the scapular around his neck, having fun holding a turtle with a rush. Admittedly, he is naked, like the mythological heroes dear to the neoclassicals, but here, there is no concession to ancient models, no idealization. The classic style is overturned by a new sense of freedom, a sense of life and nature quite remarkable. This search for truth, for naturalness led the sculptor to favor movement, and above all the joy of expression on this face, which is lit up by frank laughter (NB the dimples, the squinted eyes) on clearly visible teeth (lack of classic rules!) It also manifests itself in: *the illusionist treatment of the cap (impression that it is made of real wool) *the realistic treatment of the base The work inaugurates a romantic taste for popular Italian subjects, and this Neapolitan fisherman of RUDE is the ancestor of a whole line of small fishermen made by DURET, CARPEAUX, GEMITO..."