A Beautiful George III Period Lead Garden Ornament Cast as a Bacchanalian Putto
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Origin: English
Period: Late Eighteenth/Early Nineteenth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1780-1820
Height: 17.25 inches
Width: 9 inches
Depth: 8 inches
Weight: 14.3 KGS (all approx and at maximum)
The weighty baroque style George III period lead garden ornament, in the form of a Bacchanalian cherub wearing a grape vine wreath in swathed robes, perched on a log with one hand raised to the face, the other open palmed holding a bunch of grapes, the cherub pertaining to the festival of Bacchus.
The condition of the whole is superb with a gentle and consistent patina and slight weathering commensurate with age. There is a small crease crack to the raised forearm elbow area, though if anything, the figure is in better than could be expected overall order and has become wonderfully tactile.
The bacchanalia were rites originally held in ancient Greece as the Dionysia and were wild and mystic festivals of the Greco-Roman god Bacchus (or Dionysus), the wine god. The term has since come to describe any form of drunken revelry. Putti like this are a classical motif found primarily on child sarcophagi of the 2nd century, where they are depicted fighting, dancing, participating in bacchic rites, and playing sports.
Classic country house elegance of the highest order.