Bronze Rearing Horse Fountain Spout Sculpture –Giambologna Style

Bronze Rearing Horse Fountain Spout Sculpture – Giambologna Style, Circa 1980s

An attractive vintage English cast bronze fountain spout sculpture depicting a spirited rearing horse, in the Italian Renaissance style associated with Giambologna (1529–1608). Reportedly made circa 1980s, this decorative architectural bronze features a richly aged green verdigris-style patination, warm golden-brown highlights and an integral cylindrical mounting fitting.

Highlights

• Vintage cast bronze rearing horse sculpture.

• In the style of Giambologna (1529–1608).

• Italian Renaissance Revival design.

• English manufacture, reportedly circa 1980s.

• Complete equestrian figure with raised forelegs.

• Rich green verdigris-style and golden-brown patination.

• Expressively modelled mane, neck and facial features.

• Cylindrical mounting fitting beneath the body.

• Designed as a decorative fountain spout.

• Suitable for architectural and garden decoration.

• Reportedly produced as part of a limited commission.

• Height: 11.5 cm.

• Width: 5 cm.

• Length: 15 cm.

• Weight: approximately 800 grams.

Introduction

An appealing example of late twentieth-century Renaissance Revival decorative sculpture, this cast bronze horse combines expressive equestrian modelling with the traditional character of an architectural fountain fitting.

The horse is depicted in an animated pose, its forelegs raised and its head lowered slightly, creating an impression of energy and controlled movement.

The sculptural treatment recalls the elegant equestrian bronzes associated with the Florentine master Giambologna.

The distinctive aged surface combines green verdigris-style colouring with areas of warm golden-brown bronze, providing an attractive decorative contrast.

Catalogue Details

Artist / Designer: Unknown maker, in the style of Giambologna (1529–1608).

Title: Rearing Horse Fountain Spout.

Date: Circa 1980s, according to supplied dealer information.

Origin: England, reportedly.

Medium: Cast bronze.

Subject: Rearing horse.

Style: Italian Renaissance Revival.

Finish: Aged green and brown patination.

Object Type: Decorative architectural fountain spout.

Mounting: Cylindrical bronze fitting beneath the body.

Catalogue Note

The sculpture portrays a spirited horse with an elegantly curved neck, carefully defined facial features and raised forelegs.

Its animated pose recalls the dynamic equestrian compositions developed during the Italian Renaissance.

The mane is modelled in pronounced flowing sections, while the muscular neck and rounded body display variations in surface texture.

Particularly attractive is the contrast between the golden-brown areas of the head and neck and the extensive green verdigris-style patination across the body, hindquarters and legs.

The tail is raised and curled, contributing to the overall movement of the composition.

A cylindrical fitting projects beneath the rear of the body, indicating the object's intended architectural or fountain-related function.

Although originally described as a fountain spout, its internal water passage and operational suitability have not been independently tested.

Italian Renaissance Equestrian Sculpture

Horses occupied an important position in Renaissance art, symbolising strength, nobility, movement and aristocratic prestige.

Italian sculptors developed sophisticated approaches to equestrian representation, combining anatomical observation with carefully balanced compositions.

Giambologna's celebrated equestrian bronzes became particularly influential, inspiring subsequent generations of European sculptors and decorative craftsmen.

The present sculpture reflects this broader artistic tradition through its animated pose, elegant proportions and expressive treatment of the horse.

The Sculptor – Giambologna (1529–1608)

Giambologna, born Jean de Boulogne in Douai in 1529, became one of the foremost sculptors of the Italian Renaissance.

Working principally in Florence under Medici patronage, he developed a distinctive sculptural language characterised by elegant movement, anatomical sophistication and complex compositions.

His celebrated works include The Rape of the Sabine Women, the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna and the monumental equestrian statue of Cosimo I de' Medici in Florence.

His smaller bronze equestrian models were admired by collectors and subsequently influenced numerous later reproductions and decorative interpretations.

Giambologna died in Florence in 1608.

Attribution and Dating

The sculpture is catalogued as In the Style of Giambologna.

This designation describes its Renaissance-inspired artistic character and does not imply authorship by Giambologna or his workshop.

According to the supplied dealer history, the bronze was manufactured in England circa 1980s.

The identity of the maker and precise production date remain unverified.

Provenance

Reportedly commissioned in limited numbers for an antiques dealer, England, circa 1980s.

Subsequently sourced from an English Midlands dealer.

Acquired by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

The original commissioning documentation and exact edition size have not been established.

Exhibition History

No documented exhibition history has been established.

Frame and Presentation

Presented as an unframed architectural bronze sculpture with an aged decorative patination.

The cylindrical mounting fitting is integral to the object's design.

The sculpture can be displayed independently or considered for incorporation into a suitable architectural water feature, subject to installation and functionality checks.

Dimensions

Height: 11.5 cm.

Width: 5 cm.

Length / Depth: 15 cm.

Weight: Approximately 800 grams.

All measurements are approximate.

Condition Report

Good overall vintage decorative condition, displaying green verdigris-style patination, areas of surface wear, minor staining and light scuffs consistent with previous use.

The patinated surface displays attractive variations in colour and texture.

The fountain mechanism, internal water passage and watertightness have not been tested.

Please examine the detailed photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the condition description.

Published References

National Trust Collections, comparative bronze equestrian sculptures after Giambologna.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, comparative equestrian bronze models associated with Giambologna.

Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Pacing Horse, follower of Giovanni da Bologna, early seventeenth century.

These references provide historical context and do not establish a direct connection between the present sculpture and Giambologna's workshop.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

Owing to the historic framed presentation of the artwork, it will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured.

International buyers are welcome. Please contact us for a destination-specific delivery quotation or to discuss any particular shipping requirements.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, exhibition history and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

Attribution and Research

The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.

These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.