raffaello romanelli · (1856–1928)
Bath Time
technical sheet
| ARTIST | Raffaello Romanelli |
| DATE | Late 19th century |
| material | White Carrara marble |
| DIMENSIONS | Height : 76 cm |
| Signature | R. Romanelli |
| PROVENANCE | |
| CONSERVATION | Private Collection • Italy |
about the work
This marble sculpture represents two children at bath time. The older child bathes the younger, who loses his balance as the basin slides beneath his feet; as he falls, he clings to the clothes of his elder sibling, who catches him to steady him. The scene, caught in the moment, combines tenderness with narrative vivacity.
The quality, finesse and detail of this work reveal how masterfully Romanelli and his workshop could work with marble. There is no doubt that the care devoted to sculptures signed by the master Raffaello Romanelli far exceeded that given to the works of other artists.
Such sculptures were meant to embody both the artistic quality of the sculptor and the expertise of the workshop on the international stage. Founded by Pasquale Romanelli in 1887, the Galleria Romanelli remains today one of the rare working studios in Florence, continuing a tradition of excellence passed down through the generations.
the artist
Raffaello romanelli
Florence, 1856 — 1928
The son of the celebrated sculptor Pasquale Romanelli, Raffaello trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence under Augusto Rivalta. He took part in nearly all the Italian Salons and produced numerous monuments, among them the “Garibaldi” (1896), the “Donatello” (1896) and the “Cosimo Ridolfi” (1896), as well as the “Carlo Alberto” (1900) in Rome and works for Venezuela, Ukraine and France.
Regarded as one of the greatest Italian sculptors of the nineteenth century, he directed an internationally renowned studio that produced marbles of the highest quality. Even today, leading contemporary artists still have their sculptures carved in the Romanelli studio.
