Baroque, 20th century

Abduction of the Sabines after the model of Giovanni da Bologna

Abduction of the Sabines after the model of Giovanni da Bologna

The sculptural group “The Abduction of the Sabines”, made using the technique of copper electroplating according to the model of the Florentine master Giovanni da Bologna, a representative of the early Baroque. The work illustrates a well-known plot of Roman history when robbers and pirates, associates of Romulus, invited the neighboring Sabine tribe to visit in order to get women, at a signal from Romulus, the Romans rushed to grab the maidens, pushing away their fathers and husbands. Thus ensuring the future of the eternal city. The work is being built by a spiral screw; from the defeated and begging for mercy, to the solemn possession of the prey at the top. The expression of the struggle is ensured by the multidirectionality of the hands. Passion and valuing what is possessed is the leitmotif of the protagonist.The Florentine master Giovani da Bologna, nicknamed Giambologna, is considered one of the best masters of late mannerism. The sculptural group he created combines the classical nude forms characteristic of Greek sculpture and the dynamism of mannerism. In 1563, Giambologna became a member of the prestigious Academy of Arts in Florence. He creates his first masterpiece for the city of Bologna: after receiving payment for the bronze sculpture of Neptune, the master creates it for the fountain of the same name. The design of the sculpture of the Sabine Women began in 1579. Initially, the artist planned to create only two figures, as can be seen from the preparatory bronze blanks (Capodimonte Museum, Naples), but then he added a third figure, as evidenced by wax models (Victoria and Albert Museum, London). A full-scale plaster model of the sculpture can be seen in the Galleria dellAccademia in Florence. The statue illustrates the legend of the beginning of the “Sabine War”. Almost the entire population of Rome consisted of men, and local tribes did not allow their women to marry Romans due to their poverty. Romulus organizes a celebration in the city, inviting many guests, including his neighbors, and at a certain point in the celebration, a violent abduction of women occurs, subsequently captured in stone by the great master Giambologna.

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