ENGLISH, CIRCA 1760-70

Inspired by the Roman Hadrianic Sleeping Ariadne in the Vatican, the present relief would have been the centrepiece of an elaborate marble chimneypiece. The neoclassical design, with a sphinx in the background, was evidently used by a number of workshops as it also features in a George III chimneypiece that was removed from a residence in Kensington Palace Gardens and sold at Bonhams, London, 3 July 2007, lot 69.