Object Description
A mid-late 19th century antique plaster bust of Venus, Roman goddess of love and beauty, or her Greek counterpart, Aphrodite. This bust is signed ‘D. Brucciani & Co, London’ to the back.
Brucciani’s firm was influential in making British plaster and bronze casts throughout the mid-late 19th century, becoming leaders in their field. Both the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum assembled specialist collections of Brucciani’s architectural and sculpture castings. This bust of the Roman Venus or Greek Aphrodite is one of the firm’s castings found outside of a museum, making it a brilliant collector’s piece or classical sculpture for display.
Brucciani & Co
In the 19th century, there was a growing trend for bronze and plaster copies of Europe’s finest and most famous artworks. While many businesses emerged in the industry, one of the most successful was established by the Italian-born Domenico Brucciani (1815 – 1880).
Around 1837, he established his Gallery of Casts in London’s Covent Garden. Such was his talent that in 1866, Brucciani succeeded in casting the 18 metre, 12th century facade of the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, Spain, known as the Portico de la Gloria, or Porch of the Glory. This piece was so impressive that the V&A – then known as South Kensington Museum – created a designated segment of the museum to accommodate this monumental cast.