This rocaille-style subject derives from an invention by the painter Stefano Tofanelli (Nave/Lucca 1752 – Marlia/Lucca 1812), a counterpart to Cupid in the act of shooting his arrow, also by the Lucca artist, which was translated into engraving by the engraver Giovanni Folo (Bassano 1764 – Rome 1836) in the years 1800-1801. The modeler translates Folo engraving into three dimensions of space in an object that appears to have been conceived as a unique piece: in fact, no other versions of this subject are known, at least for now. The milky-white clay from which our small figure was sculpted, more commonly known as creamware/pearlware, harks back to the workshop established in late 18th century in Rome by the engraver and ceramist Giovanni Volpato, born Trevisan (Angarano 1735 – Rome 1803), to whom the work presented here undoubtedly belongs.

Excerpt of the expertise by doc. Nicola Ciarlo