GOLDEN BRONZE EAGLE Italy, 17th century Gilt bronze;... Lot 24

GOLDEN BRONZE EAGLE Italy, 17th century Gilt bronze; new breccia marble H. 37.5 cm, L. 21 cm A majestic animal, the eagle with outstretched wings is notably the symbol of Rome, the Empire and the evangelist Saint John. It appears on the tympanum of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista in Venice, in a hieratic posture (fig. 1). In a drawing from the beginning of the 17th century, the eagle is represented in its natural state (fig. 2). The majesty of the animal is enhanced here by its presentation on a marble column with a fluted shaft, enhanced by a molded ormolu base, decorated with a laurel torus. The plumage and talons of our eagle have been chiseled with great care and attention to detail.