Pair of Carrara marble cupids (cherubs, angels), circa 1560-1750, Bernini’s school (?) Material: Carrara marble with aging spots; Weight: approximately 100 kg each; Size: H 21.5 x L 19 inches x D 18 inches = H 54.6 cm x L 48.2 cm x D 45 cm; Country of manufacture: Italy or France; Sculptor: unknown, Early Bernini or Bernini’s school? Provenance: private collection in London, UK, purchased in 1960’s; Age: circa 1560-1750; Reference: Sculptors in Europe began widely adding fig leaves to statues—especially to figures like cupids and angels—during the 16th century, in the wake of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. A key turning point was the Council of Trent (1545–1563), which responded to Protestant criticism by calling for greater modesty and decorum in religious art. As a result, nudity in sacred contexts was increasingly censored or altered. Existing artworks were sometimes modified by adding drapery or fig leaves, and new works were created with greater restraint. One famous example is the later modification of the nude figures in Sistine Chapel. After Michelangelo painted The Last Judgment, additional draperies were added by Daniele da Volterra in the 1560s to cover exposed nudity. While some modesty additions occurred earlier, the mid-to-late 16th century marks the period when the practice became widespread and institutionally encouraged across Catholic Europe. Later waves of moral censorship—especially in the 19th century Victorian era—also led to further additions of fig leaves to classical sculptures. Estimate: $15,000 – $100,000 USD