Pair of marble statues after Jean De Bologne, 18th century

“A bagpipe player and a peasant resting on his stick”
Pair of marble statues based on models by Jean De Bologne, known as Giambologna (1529–1608)
Origin: Netherlands or Italy, 18th century
Sculpted white marble

Provenance:
- Former English private collection.
- Former François Antonovich collection, France.
- French private collection.

Dimensions: Height: 116 cm x 45 cm width x 31 cm depth.
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Height: 115 cm x 44 cm width x 35 cm depth.

This pair of marble sculptures depicts two rustic figures: a bagpipe player and a peasant leaning on his stick and carrying a small barrel. Created on a monumental scale, they are part of the great European tradition of 17th- and 18th-century garden statuary, intended to adorn aristocratic parks and gardens.

The bagpipe player is depicted in a lively pose, with his leg bent, his body slightly turned, holding his instrument close to him. The peasant, on the other hand, adopts a resting posture, in a marked contrapposto, leaning on a rustic stick. The figures are dressed in simple costumes, animated by soft, loose drapery with large, natural folds, suitable for outdoor viewing.

The treatment of the faces, with their full, expressive features, evokes a Nordic vocabulary, while the construction of the bodies and the overall balance of the compositions reveal a formal culture inherited from Italian Mannerism. The octagonal bases, integrated into the sculpture, confirm their purpose as freestanding garden sculptures, designed to be viewed from multiple angles.