”Lord Byron”
sculpted by Ioannis Kossos (1822-1875)
[Price upon request]
A large plaster model of Lord Byron, sculpted by Ioannis Kossos. It bears the signature and date on the back: I. Kossos 1854.
Ioannis Kossos (1822–1875) was a Greek sculptor from Tripoli in Arcadia and one of the first and most prominent sculptors of the newly liberated Greek state. He died in Athens in 1875. In 1854 he was commissioned by the wealthy Greek expatriate in the United Kingdom, G. P. Laskaridis—uncle of the painter Sofia Laskaridou—to create twenty-four statues of heroes of the Greek War of Independence. These statues were intended to be installed on the railings of the two balconies of the inner courtyard of the main building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which at that time also housed the National Library of Greece.
The bust of Lord Byron recalls ancient busts of philosophers and men of letters and could be described as a “portrait head,” as emphasis is placed on the rendering of the head—particularly the face—while the upper part of the torso is depicted nude and without shoulders. Byron is portrayed according to the image of the Romantic poet, as it became widely known mainly through printed portraits of him. He is shown with abundant, tousled hair, with the curls clearly distinguished by strong lines, a gaze directed far beyond the viewer, slightly parted lips, and a turned head. Byron’s eyes, though not deeply carved, are almond-shaped; the line of the upper eyelid extends beyond that of the lower, and neither iris nor pupil is indicated.
The marble version of the bust, located in the southern inner courtyard of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, was sent by Kossos to the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris and later to the International Exhibition of 1862 in London. At the time, it was common practice for sculptors to exhibit the same works at different international exhibitions, particularly when the depicted figures were well known to the European public.
Works by Ioannis Kossos can be found at the Propylaea of the University of Athens, the Zappeion, and the National Gallery of Greece.
Condition: Very good; there is craquelure and flaking of the old paint layer on the back of the sculpture, in the area of the torso.
Dimensions: 77 × 46 × 33 cm.
CERTIFICATE
- Certificate of authenticity is provided.
- Please contact us For further information and detailed photos of the items.
- Please contact us for shipping details and cost.
