TOMASSO BROTHERS
BRING SPANISH HORSES TO TEFAF, MAASTRICHT
Four striking sculptures of
horses by Spanish artist Juan Chaéz (c. 1750-before 1809) will be among the superb examples of
European sculpture to be offered by Tomasso Brothers at TEFAF Maastricht. The fair,
which is the world’s leading art and antiques event, takes place at the
Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC) from 14 to 23 March 2014.
Stand 165
Originally
commissioned by the 14th Duke of Albuquerque, José María de la Cueva y de la
Cerda (1775-1811), these wood statuettes then passed to José Isidro Osorio y
Silva Bazán, Maquis of Alcañices, Duke of Sesto and 15th Duke of Albuquerque,
and thence by descent. Each bears the aristocratic mark of the Duchess of
Albuquerque Soto on its base.
Juan Chaéz was born in Malága and
worked for such prestigious patrons as Charles IV of Spain , the Infante Luis and a
number of influential nobles. Among his most important commissions were the
fountain sculptures he produced for Felipe Longinos de Echevarri, 7th Count of
Villalcázar de Sirga. He was a lifelong friend of Francisco de Goya y
Lucientes (1746-1828) and, like Goya, his work marks a seminal moment in the
history of Spanish art. At the beginning of the French occupation of Spain , Goya,
Chaéz, and other artists began to produce work of a markedly nationalistic cha racter. The set of twenty-seven bulls and
bullfighters produced by Chaéz, now in the Museo Nacional de Escultura de Valladolid , appear to be
artistic symbols of a renewed ‘nationalistic’ pride. Chaéz’s
representation of four native breeds of Spanish horse, shown kicking, rearing
and pacing, can be similarly interpreted, as a response to the threat of the
French invasion.
This is the third time that
Tomasso Brothers have exhibited at TEFAF Maastricht and they look forward to
welcoming collectors, curators and enthusiasts to their stand which promises to
be as striking as ever.
Based
at Bardon Hall, Leeds, Tomasso Brothers Fine Art was established in 1993 and opened their London gallery in St James’s in 2013. Dino and Raffaello
are recognised internationally for specialising in important European sculpture
from the early Renaissance to the Neoclassical periods with a particular
knowledge of European Renaissance bronzes. They have promoted and
supported, through loans and exhibitions, major international institutions and
were one of the sponsors of the landmark show Bronze at the Royal
Academy of Arts, London ,
2012. Significant sales have been made to some of the world’s most
prestigious museums, including the Bode Museum, Berlin; The Liechtenstein
Collection, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum , Vienna ; the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Yale Center
for British Art and the Art Institute of
Chicago.
Caption:
Juan Chaéz (c. 1750-before 1809)
Four Spanish Horses
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