Forging Authenticity

"Giovanni Bastianini was a Florentine sculptor whose creations answered to the growing demand for Renaissance and Renaissance-like works of art during the second half of the nineteenth century. Arguably the most infamous and gifted imitator of Italian Renaissance sculpture, he became a subject of great controversy during his lifetime that continues to this day. This book examines Bastianini's total oeuvre, exploring the dichotomy between his pseudo-Renaissance and his contemporary "period" style. At the same time, it places him firmly within the economic, political and cultural context that encouraged the production of neo-Renaissance art, which found a ready market in both Europe and the New World. The book will be of great interest not only to scholars of Italian Renaissance and nineteenth-century sculpture attempting to sort out the authentic from the works of questionable attribution, but also to those engaged in the history of taste and the acquisition of Renaissance art and artifacts in both Europe and the New World during the latter part of the nineteenth century." -- Review found on bookseller's website.