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Italian, probably late 17th century — Vanitas Bust of a Skeleton with a Snake
Italian, probably late 17th century

Vanitas Bust of a Skeleton with a Snake

This late 17th-century Italian marble bust depicts a skeleton with a snake, serving as a memento mori or vanitas symbol. The work combines white marble with a veined red marble base, emphasizing the contrast between life and death.

Medium
white marble, on a veined red marble socle
Spotted At
Auction House · Sotheby's

🔨 Auction Lot

TOMASSO: The More a Thing is Perfect

April 21, 2021

Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000

Lot 78

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About this work

Italian, probably late 17th century, Vanitas Bust of a Skeleton with a Snake

This late 17th-century Italian marble bust depicts a skeleton with a snake, serving as a memento mori or vanitas symbol. The work combines white marble with a veined red marble base, emphasizing the contrast between life and death.

Medium
white marble, on a veined red marble socle
Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Marble, Vanitas, Symbolic, Skeleton, Memento Mori, Sculpture, Baroque, White Marble, Italian, 17th Century