Statue "Centauro e Deianira"

This group in biscuit was also created by Giambologna in around 1575. In that period, the sculptor was devoting himself to the topic of abductions, creating compositions that expressed a strong feeling of pathos. Among these works is the striking il Ratto di Deianira, which captures the moment when the Centaur Nesso seizes Deianira, the wife of Hercules. The drama and energy of the action, breathing life into the bronze sculpture, makes this composition quite unique, and it has always found a worthy place in the Wunderkammer of the courts of Europe. In 1578, Francesco I de’ Medici gave a model of it to the Elector Christian I of Saxony which is still to be found in Dresden, while another, now in the Louvre, became part of the Royal Collections in 1693. Giambologna’s international fame continued after his death, and in line with the 18th century taste for the ancient and classical strongly influenced by travellers on the Grand Tour, the Ginori Manufactory in Doccia worked on converting his sculptures into porcelain in around the 1950s. The Inventory of models, carried out between 1780 and 1791, indicates three items with this subject, but only two of them are described as works by Giambologna: “The Centaur abducting Deianira. By Gio. Bologna” and “A group representing a Centaur abducting Deianira. By Gio. Bologna[...].” The composition in biscuit, shown here, is an example of this work and can be considered to be a derivation of the Giambologna work reworked in the 19th century. This model has some variations compared to the original version and the one made by the Manufactory around the middle of the 18th century, known by a single example in the Detroit Institute of Arts. One of the most obvious differences is the drapery that slips along the centaur’s back and is anchored to the base, so that it also functions as a support pin, a detail that may have been added to remedy the defect that occurred in the American example, which collapsed on itself during the firing.