Lot 326B

Late 19th C. Neapolitan Brass Cupid with Dolphin - Grand Tour, After the Antique

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 326
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3
Late 19th C. Neapolitan Brass Cupid with Dolphin - Grand Tour, After the Antique
Late 19th C. Neapolitan Brass Cupid with Dolphin - Grand Tour, After the Antique
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3

Late 19th C. Neapolitan Brass Cupid with Dolphin - Grand Tour, After the Antique

Estimate: $400 - $600

Starting Bid: $200

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Southern Europe, Italy, Naples, Grand Tour, ca. 1880–1920 CE. A winged Cupid stands poised upon a stepped circular base, a plump dolphin gathered in his arms and lifted toward his shoulder as though caught mid-play. Cast in brass and finished with an archaeological green patina deliberately conjuring the verdigris of ancient excavated bronzes, the figure descends from the celebrated 'Amore con Delfino' fountain group. The boy-god's topknot, soft musculature, and the dolphin's curling tail are rendered with the fluency of a workshop steeped in copying the antique. Cupid, god of love, is repeatedly paired with the dolphin as an emblem of love's swiftness, the creature darting and vanishing as desire so often does. Conceived as a decorative cabinet bronze for the Grand Tour traveler, the piece distills a famed Pompeian discovery into intimate, mantel-scaled form. Size: 2" W x 4.3" H x 2.8" D (5.1 cm W x 10.9 cm H x 7.1 cm D).

The model derives from an antique fountain statue unearthed at the Thermae (baths) of Pompeii in 1880 and now in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (inv. no. 111701). The distinctive "Pompeian" green patination, applied to evoke genuine excavated antiquities, points to the renowned Neapolitan foundry of Chiurazzi, celebrated for its reproductions after the antique. The foundry's 1910 catalogue lists a model of "Amore con Delfino per fontana" (Love with Dolphin for a fountain), offered in two sizes. Such bronzes and brasses fed the brisk Grand Tour souvenir trade, allowing travelers to carry home a fragment of Pompeii's rediscovered splendor.

Provenance: private Charlotte, North Carolina, USA collection; ex-Joel Malter collection, prior to 2004

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 203294

  • Condition: Excellent. Intact and excellent with rich patina and good detail.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000