Lotto 314 | A very fine neoclassical agate intaglio signed Calandrelli. Ulysses and his companions blinding the eye of Polyphemus.

Bertolami Fine Art - Riversdell Close 27, KT16 9JW Chertsey

A very fine neoclassical agate intaglio signed Calandrelli. Ulysses and his companions blinding the eye of Polyphemus.

A very fine neoclassical agate intaglio signed Calandrelli.
Ulysses and his companions blinding the eye of Polyphemus.

1820-1830 circa

42 x 59 x 4 mm

This remarkable large agate intaglio, signed below CALANDRELLI, depicts the famous scene in which
Ulysses and his companions are ready to blind the cyclops in his cave, after falling asleep for drinking wine. On the right Ulysses, recognizable by his typical headdress, pushes the base of the long inflamed wooden pole, directed towards the eye of Polyphemus, helped by his companion; wearing an helmet and a cloack covering an armor. A third character is instead behind the monstrous cyclops, to monitor the action, armed with a spear and always dressed with helmet, armor and cloak. The cyclops, who occupies the most prominent central position, is intoxicated and seated on the ground, with his head bowed over his left arm, resting on the raised knee, as a sign of yielding to sleep; instead his right arm is abandoned towards the ground, near the emptied cup. The scene is set inside the cave, with masterfully rendered rocks.

The same delicacy is used to make the smoke coming out of the tip of the bursting pole.The scene is set according to a well-balanced structure and studied by the artist, as evidenced by one of his drawings (Berlin) which undoubtedly constitutes the faithful preparatory model for this gem: the correspondance between the preparatory drawing and the agate carving it is in fact very strong, almost total, except for some aesthetic variations (as often happened during the execution phase).There is a second variant of the same scene, always attributed to Calandrelli but signed in Greek as Demophilos (ΔΕΜΟΦΙΛΟΣ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ), made for the Prince Poniatowski. The attribution of the drawing to Calandrelli is certain; the attribution to Calandrelli for the Poniatowski intaglio (currently missing and testified by the plaster cast ) may not be so sure.
The style of the intaglio signed Demophilos (propabably Calandrelli ?) appears in fact different, far inferior in skill and style, with anatomical details often artistically weak and the proportions of the characters not always respected.

The agate intaglio signed by the artist, reveals in fact an extraordinary engraving quality completely different, with a masterly rendering of the anatomical details and the expressive physiognomy of the figures very faithful to the drawing. Every detail is mirror-polished with great skill. A very rare and extraordinary agate variety was used to represent this mythological episode: the agate in fact presents very fine variety of colors from red, yellow to brown tones with shades and spots, as if to symbolize the cave, the smoke and the violence of the scene. The stone has slight signs of wear, small cracks and a chipping on the edge, probably caused by removing the stone from its original setting.

A Grand Tour Era plaster cast impression, taken from this work, has been identified in a private collection. Unpublished.

Parallels: Catalogue des pierres graves antiques de S.A. le Prince Stanislas Poniatowski ([1830?]-1833): VI.30
Christie's, London: 1839-538
Prendeville, J.: Explanatory catalogue of the proof-impressions of the antique gems possessed by the late Prince Poniatowski and now in the possession of John Tyrrell, Esq. (1841): 1014
Calandrelli drawing, Antikensammlung Berlin: A.IV.4
Lord Monson
Christie's, London: June 9, 1851, lot 101
Samuel Sharp
Sotheby's, London: 5 April 1883: lot 91
Platz-Horster,G.: L'antica maniera. Zeichnungen und Gemmen des Giovanni Calandrelli in der Antikensammlung Berlin (2005): P.81 G. Vangelli de Cresci, For the Poniatowki collection: A Minima Ad Maxima, La raccolta di impronte ematrici di gemme incise e medaglie, Museo dell'Antica Zecca di Lucca.

U.K., private collection 80's, London.