A MARBLE BAS-RELIEF ROUNDEL OF 'DAY'

Born in Copenhagen in 1768 Bertel Thorvaldsen spent most of his working life in Rome, where, after the death of Antonio Canova in 1822, he became the foremost Neo-classical sculptor. Thorvaldsen was famed during his early period for his Classical subjects and his reliefs were, like his statues of Venus (181316), Hebe (1816) and the Three Graces with Cupid (181719), executed in a number of marble versions in his studio. Among the most widely reproduced releifs were the circular Night and Day and a larger (84 cm. diameter) example of the present lot is in the collection of the Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen.