ORAZIO ANDREONI (ITALIAN, FL. LATE 19TH CENTURY): A LIFE SIZE CARRARA MARBLE FIGURE OF DANCING GIRL the exotic dancer wearing a feathered headdress and a jewelled bikini in the Orientalist style, poised dramatically on one foot, her revealing skirt falling in folds to the ground, signed 'O.M. Andreoni Roma', raised on a waisted Verde Antico, circular base, the marble girl 160cm high, 167cm high including circular base THIS LOT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT OUR SOUTH KENSINGTON GALLERY UNTIL 14TH MARCH AND AT OUR CHISWICK SALEROOM FROM 16TH - 21ST MARCH. PROVENANCE: From an important private collection.  Orazio Andreoni was based in Rome and established a large and successful workshop there, training many other sculptors such as Emilio Fiaschi, Antonio Rossetti and Oscar Spalmach (who carved the impressive marble ‘Oceanides’ in Andreoni’s studio that are now installed at York House, Twickenham). All of whom were proud to add ‘Studio O Andreoni’ beside their own signatures. Andreoni was typical of many of the Italian sculptors of the late 19th century whose work had to appeal to an almost global market; although based in Rome, Andreoni was a truly international artist exhibiting throughout Europe and further afield. He exhibited his marble ‘Le Pharisien’ in Turin in 1883 (a version is now in the Sydney Museum in Australia) and his ‘Negrése’ in Berlin 1892. He exhibited at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1888 and is believed to have worked in America at some point during in his career (his ‘Pereat’ is at Wadsworth Museum in Hartford, Connecticut).  The present marble figure clearly demonstrates the sculptor’s expertise with the material, for here reality is momentarily suspended as we admire the flamboyant dancer, her exaggerated pose as she rests her full body weight solely on the tip toes of one foot, her body seemingly suspended in the air and her gauze-thin drapery falling in soft folds to the ground. The technical skill required to carve this complex pose from the solid marble is immense, and would have been too great a challenge for all but the most talented of sculptors. For here Andreoni allows us to momentarily believe that he has created life from this most solid and dense material, he has recreated the softness of skin, flesh and bone, with nothing more than a chisel.  Comparables: A marble figure of 'Suzanna' by the Studio of Orazio Andreoni was sold at Christie's, New York, 29 March 2000,  Lot 294, for $101,500 A small marble bust of 'Rebecca' by Orazio Andreoni was sold at Sotheby's New York on 11 November 2008, Lot 41, for £42,000. Related Literature: E. Benezit 'Dictionaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs' Volume I, Page 184.