A large Parian group of Dante & Beatrice by Robinson & Leadbeater

A striking large Parian group of Dante & Beatrice by Robinson & Leadbeater from the sculpture by Roland James Morris (1847 – 1909). Apart from the sculptor’s mark and the title, this group is unmarked but is pictured on page 23½ of the Robinson & Leadbeater photographic archive dating from the 1880s. The figure dates from the last quarter of the 19^th century.

It is a three-dimensional realisation of the 1846 painting “The Vision: Dante and Beatrice” by the Dutch artist Ary Scheffer (1795 – 1858) currently in the Wolverhampton Art Gallery.  We understand that there is another version by Scheffer in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. An albumen print of a version of this painting, presented to Prince Albert, is in the Royal Collection.

Dante Alighieri (1265 – 1321) is said to have met a girl named Beatrice Portinari (a real person) once when they were both children, then again when she was a young woman. Dante apparently fell in love with her after the brief acquaintances, but Beatrice married another man and died aged 24. A Beatrice subsequently figured in Dante’s verse, particularly the Divine Comedy, and it is believed by some experts that the Beatrice of the poetry was the same real woman. Beatrice is portrayed as an object of courtly love and an inspiration and wise counsellor to Dante. Beatrice was a popular subject of paintings in the nineteenth century, particularly by Dante Gabiel Rossetti. 

Height 60cm, (23.6”) width 33cm (13”).

Condition: Excellent. There is a small shallow chip at the rear of the base and some firing lines (see photos).