Antonio Frilli (Italian, fl. Late 19th Century)

A highly technical sculptor, Antonio Frilli's skill is abundantly evident in the present example which also illustrates the fashion for Orientalist themes and figures. An unidentified woman and without specific attributes, she simply embodies the ‘exotic’ and the ‘the other’, an object of fascination and beauty.
Frilli is first recorded as an exhibitor at the Espozione Nazionale di Roma in 1883, and he further exhibited in Glasgow in 1888 and Paris in 1889. He was one of a circle of renowned Florentine sculptors that comprised Cesare Lapini, Guglielmo Pugi and Ferdinando Vichi. Although little more is known about his life, the prolific works produced in marble, alabaster and bronze by his gallery are a testament to his artistic and commercial success. Another example of this model accented with gilt highlights sold Christie's, New York, 30 April 2019, lot 73 ($150,000).