Italian School, circa 1600

The pose of Silenus seems to derive from Giambologna's (1529-1608) sculpture of Morgante holding a goblet and a flask (see C. Avery, Giambologna, the complete sculptures, Oxford, 1987, I, pl. 183; II, p. 266 no. 114.). Morgante (c. 1535-after 1594) was the most celebrated court dwarf of Cosimo I de'Medici, Duke of Tuscany and he was portrayed often by the most important artists surrounding the Medici.