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Circle of Giuseppe Valadier — Saint Agnes
Circle of Giuseppe Valadier

Saint Agnes

1780

This gilt bronze and onyx sculpture depicts a standing figure in classical drapery, rendered with refined modeling characteristic of late 18th century Roman decorative arts. The figure wears a soft tunic in pale onyx across the upper torso and shoulders, while gilt bronze forms the lower garment with deeply carved folds and the bare feet. Golden bronze also articulates the delicate hands and curled hair, creating a striking chromatic contrast between warm metallic elements and cooler stone surfaces. The work rests on a circular wooden base and demonstrates the technical mastery of hardstone carving combined with bronze casting techniques. At approximately 31 centimeters in height, the sculpture exemplifies the neoclassical taste for precious materials and refined execution that flourished in papal Rome during the late Settecento.

Medium
Onyx and gilt bronze
Dimensions
Location
David Zwirner 69th Street, New York, NY

Notes

From the exhibition 'Set in Stone' at David Zwirner 69th Street, NYC, May 12 to June 26, 2026, in collaboration with Galerie Kugel, Paris. Tombstone date: Rome, c. 1780-1800.

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About this work

Circle of Giuseppe Valadier, Saint Agnes, 1780

This gilt bronze and onyx sculpture depicts a standing figure in classical drapery, rendered with refined modeling characteristic of late 18th century Roman decorative arts. The figure wears a soft tunic in pale onyx across the upper torso and shoulders, while gilt bronze forms the lower garment with deeply carved folds and the bare feet. Golden bronze also articulates the delicate hands and curled hair, creating a striking chromatic contrast between warm metallic elements and cooler stone surfaces. The work rests on a circular wooden base and demonstrates the technical mastery of hardstone carving combined with bronze casting techniques. At approximately 31 centimeters in height, the sculpture exemplifies the neoclassical taste for precious materials and refined execution that flourished in papal Rome during the late Settecento.

Medium
Onyx and gilt bronze
Dimensions
31.1 x 10.2 x 10.8 cm
Year
1780
Seen at
Adler Beatty, New York, NY

Related themes

Onyx, Precious Materials, Drapery, Gilt Bronze, Rome, Figure Sculpture, Mixed Media, Decorative Arts, Italian Sculpture, Hardstone Carving, Classical Dress, Religious Subject, Polychrome, Neoclassical, Gold Gilt, Devotional Object, 18th Century, Figural Sculpture, Pietra Dura Workshop, Baroque to Neoclassical