SEVRES BISCUIT PORTRAIT BUST OF TSAR ALEXANDER I, 1826 AFTER A MODEL BY BERTEL THORVALDSEN (1770-1844) France, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, 1826

Lotto 349

6 0008 000

Marks : ‘Mas Jt 26 n 1’ for Jean-Étienne Mascret (active 1811-1848). H. 21 cm This biscuit porcelain bust is a reduced version of the marble portrait of Tsar Alexander I by Bertel Thorvaldsen (now housed in the State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg). Thorvaldsen, a leading neoclassical sculptor, was among the few foreign artists to whom the Russian emperor personally sat for a portrait. Inspired by antique prototypes, the sculptor idealised the emperor’s likeness in the manner of Roman imperial portraits. A later version of this bust was presented by the Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory to Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna during their visit to France in 1896. Until 1917, this bust adorned the Silver Drawing Room (Salon Louis XV) of the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. It now forms part of the State Hermitage Museum collection (inv. no. ZF-23583).

Upon the buyer’s request, we are pleased to provide a general condition report for the Lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise prospective buyers to conduct their own inspection or consult a specialist or restorer of their choice for a comprehensive professional assessment. Any condition descriptions provided in the catalogue or through any correspondence are for guidance only and should not be considered a substitute for a firsthand evaluation.

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