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silla was born out of a passion for beautiful objects: special pieces with aesthetic and historical significance. In 2009, after years of collecting, Andrew Silla and his wife Grace began to work privately with clients from their residence in Southern Maryland. Quickly outgrowing the space, the business was moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania in 2012 and after several warehouse location changes it was firmly settled in the present brick-and-mortar location in downtown Shippensburg.

The 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery is home to a large collection of works of art and estate jewelry. We specialize in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 with a particular emphasis on the Animaliers and as such the gallery always has a very large collection of exceptional European and American sculpture available on display.

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"Diogenes" | Claudius Marioton

Marioton, Claudius

SKU:
312DPQ21A
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catalog text

CLAUDIUS MARIOTON
French, 1844-1919

"Diogenes"

Patinated bronze on verde marble with gilt-bronze rim | signed "MARIOTON, sc. cis'", sealed with circular foundry cachet "ANE MON COLIN PARIS"

Item # 312DPQ21A 

Originally executed by Claudius Marioton in 1885 as a full length figure, it was met with some commercial success and was cast by E. Colin & Cie in several sizes including reworking the figure into bust form. The model captures the figure of Diogenes of Sinope, a 4th Century B.C. philosopher depicted as searching the earth by lantern for one honest man. The bearded man is nearly gaunt, his body worn and showing the ravages of time and elements in the deep wrinkles and heavily set eyes, his body barely covered with only a strap tugging the garment up his shoulder.  A most fine burnished and lightly chemically toned patina with black and brown in recesses, accentuating the shadows of his deep wrinkles and aged skin. It is titled along the front of the squared plinth “DIOGENE” while being chiseled by hand into the cast “Marioton sc. cis”, with opposing C's flanking the M, noting Claudius as the sculpture and chiseler for this work. The reverse is sealed with the circular foundry pastille of E. Colin & Cie reading “Ane Mon Colin, Paris”. It is raised over a beautiful original marble base finished with a gilt bronze rim along the bottom edge.

It is highly likely that Cladius Marioton himself chiseled the signature into the side, as well as the tiny monogrammed "M" flanked by opposing C's on the reverse of his arm. An exceedingly rare cast. We sold this model to a collector many years ago and it is truly an honor to be able to handle it once again.

Artist Listings & Bibliography:

  • See Bronzes of the Nineteenth Century: A Dictionary of Sculptors, Kjellberg, 1994, p 457 for a depiction of the full-length Diogène


Measurements: :  14 1/8” total height, 10 3/8” H bust; approx. 9 3/4” W at shoulders, 7 1/2” D including lantern

Condition Report:
Light chip to front left corner of marble base, other edge roughness to marble. Patina in very fine original condition.