Object Description
A striking Italian alabaster sculpture of the Abduction of the Sabine Women, also known as Giambologna, after the antique by Jean de Boulogne.
This Grand Tour style piece has a beautiful time worn look while showcasing the detailed features of the characters that creates a great sense of movement.
With an air of elegance, this relatively large scale piece will look stunning placed on a sideboard or console in any home.
The Abduction of the Sabine Women by Jean de Boulogne
The original marble sculpture of the Abduction of the Sabine Women by Jean de Boulogne dates to circa 1579 and is now displayed in the middle of the Sala del Colosso.
At the time of its creation there was no specific subject or commission for the sculpture. Boulogne only wished to establish himself on the Florentine art scene and set out to prove his technical skill.
The three dynamic figures balanced in a serpentine movement and made to be seen from multiple points of view were thought to be nothing less than impressive.
His talents later won the sculpture admiration of the grand duke Francesco I, who gave it a prominent position in the prestigious Loggia dei Lanzi.
The name of the sculpture later changed from ‘Giambologna’ to the ‘Abduction of the Sabine Women’ thanks to scholar Vincenzo Borghini, who proposed the name which was inspired by the famous episode of Roman history.
The story starts with Romulus, one of the legendary founders of Rome.
He is known for leading a group of womanless men doomed to extinction. Neighboring tribes, including the Sabines, refused to marry his men, so the Romans invited them to a celebration.
During the gathering, Romulus gave a signal by raising his cloak after, to which the Roman warriors seized the Sabine women and abducted them to serve as their wives.