DANTE ZOI (ITALIAN, FL. 1880-1920)

The present group, clearly the chef d'oeuvre of Florentine sculptor Dante Zoi, demonstrates the technical prowess of the artist. Hewn from a single block of Carrara marble, this exceptionally accomplished group of Venus pierced by Cupid’s arrow amidst swirling clouds and love-birds relates closely to Vittorio Caradossi’s Smoke billowing up to the Clouds and Shooting Stars (sold Sotheby's, New York, 8 November 2013, lot 114, $689,000). Like his contemporaries, Zoi’s extraordinary skill is further evident in the sense of uninhibited movement the composition so clearly achieves by seemingly suspending the laws of gravity - the result is a remarkable display of technical virtuoso and aesthetic refinement.