The Punishment of Cupid
Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi (1656–1740)
1718/19
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In addition to his large-scale bronzes and statuettes, not to mention his bronze reliefs, Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi was a master of table-top bronze groups. As with his reliefs, he displayed equal mastery of both religious and mythological themes. The present example, of which there is another cast in the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, represents the same subject as one of a pair of bronzes by Giovanni Francesco Susini in the Princely Collections, but the treatment is strikingly different.
Soldani’s table-top bronzes are all horizontal in format and as a rule they are set on a solid, naturalistically decorated base. In the present instance, Venus is shown riding a chariot driven by swans as opposed to the more customary doves, and raises her right arm diagonally, high above her head. Thus, the whole composition starts at top left with the plucked feathers in Venus’s right hand, and then swoops down dramatically to the writhing and grimacing figure of Cupid outstretched across her lap, before concluding at bottom right with her swans, one of whom ingeniously twists his neck round and back to achieve the visual equivalent of a full stop. Interestingly, in works such as the present group Soldani evidently created designs that were only intended to be seen from the front, and therefore although the piece is finished in the round, the rear viewpoint is intended to be concealed.
- Material/technique
- bronze
- Measurements
- 41.5 × 29.5 × 22.0 cm
- Acquisition
- acquired in 2007 by Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein
- Currently exhibited
- Garden Palace, permanent presentation
- Artists/makers/authors
- Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi
- Inventory number
- SK 1501
- Provenance
-
Bucquet-Bournet de Vernon Collection, Paris; Goldschmidt Collection,
France; c. 1955 Private collection, Eindhoven, Netherlands; 1964-
2007 Heirs of the private collection Eindhoven, Schoten (Belgium);
acquired in 2007 from Daniel Katz, London
- Iconography
- Venus punishes Cupid
Ausst.-Kat. Les Bronzes du Prince de Liechtenstein. Chefs-d'oeuvre de la Renaissance et du Baroque, Alexis Kugel (Hg.), Galerie J. Kugel, Paris 10.9.2008–7.11.2008, erschienen Paris 2008, S. 110, Abb. S. 72-73, Farbtafel 35, Kat. 35
Ausst.-Kat. Der Fürst als Sammler. Neuerwerbungen unter Hans-Adam II. von und zu Liechtenstein, Johann Kräftner (Hg.), Liechtenstein Museum, Wien 12.2.2010–24.8.2010, erschienen Wien 2010, Abb. S. 272
Ausst.-Kat. Gegossen für die Ewigkeit. Die Bronzen der Fürsten von Liechtenstein. Eine Ausstellung in der Reihe MÄRZ IM PALAIS im Gartenpalais Liechtenstein, Alexandra Hanzl, Johann Kräftner, Katharina Leithner, Arthur Stögmann, Johann Kräftner (Hg.), Gartenpalais Liechtenstein, Wien 1.–31.3.2023, erschienen Wien 2023, S. 210–211, Kat.-Nr. 92
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Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi
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