Italian Grand Tour Marble Bust of Diana, 20th Century

An elegant Italian Grand Tour–style carved marble bust depicting Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, presented on an integral turned socle base.

Carved in luminous white marble, the figure is depicted in classical profile with her hair drawn into a chignon and a crescent-form diadem rising above the forehead—an attribute traditionally associated with Diana and her identification with the moon. Finely articulated drapery falls across the shoulders and bodice, giving the diminutive sculpture an impressive sense of movement and monumentality.

The bust reflects the enduring tradition of Italian Grand Tour sculpture, in which celebrated subjects from Greek and Roman antiquity were recreated for collectors and travelers visiting Italy. Small-scale marble busts such as this were particularly desirable as sophisticated souvenirs of the classical world, intended for display within libraries, studies, cabinets of curiosities, and later, collected interiors.

At just 9 inches high, the piece has a wonderfully jewel-like scale while retaining the presence and architectural quality of a much larger classical sculpture. The crisp white marble and restrained neoclassical composition make it especially striking displayed among paintings, books, antiquities, or other Grand Tour objects.

Origin: Italy
Style: Grand Tour / Neoclassical
Material: Carved white marble
Subject: Diana, Goddess of the Hunt
Height: 9 in.
Condition: Very good vintage condition with minor surface wear and variations consistent with age and hand craftsmanship.