Italian school, circa 1800 Laocoon and his sons, from Antiquity Bronze with shaded brown patina Height: 30 cm Resting on a grey veined green marble base Total height: 33 cm "Laocoon and his sons", bronze brown patina, Italian School, ca. 1800 H. 11.81 in. An ancient Roman marble copy of a Greek bronze sculpture, the Laocoon was rediscovered in 1506 in Rome on the Esquiline, near the Baths of Trajan. It was immediately purchased by Pope Julius II, who installed it in the courtyard of the Octagon in the Belvedere Palace in the Vatican. Found fragmentary, the sculpted group was completed from 1523 onwards by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, who added the outstretched right arm in particular. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the ancient arm was rediscovered during excavations in Rome. The artist who created our attractive bronze took some interesting liberties. In addition to the position of the hero's right arm, which is not the same as that imagined by Montorsoli or that of the piece found, the completely new posture of the first son, to the right of the Laocoon, is striking. His standing position differs greatly from that depicted on the Vatican marble, and testifies to the creative spirit that animated our artist during his creation. In addition to these notable variations, our artist applied himself to making a perfect bronze, with a cast and chasing of admirable quality, making our sculpture a unique and particularly desirable object. Italian school, circa 1800 An ancient Roman marble copy of a Greek bronze sculpture, the Laocoon was rediscovered in 1506 in Rome on the Esquiline, near the Baths of Trajan. It was immediately purchased by Pope Julius II, who installed it in the courtyard of the Octagon in the Belvedere Palace in the Vatican. Found fragmentary, the sculpted group was completed from 1523 onwards by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, who added the outstretched right arm in particular. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the ancient arm was rediscovered during excavations in Rome. The artist who created our attractive bronze took some interesting liberties. In addition to the position of the hero's right arm, which is not the same as that imagined by Montorsoli or that of the piece found, the completely new posture of the first son, to the right of the Laocoon, is striking. His standing position differs greatly from that depicted on the Vatican marble, and testifies to the creative spirit that animated our artist during his creation. In addition to these notable variations, our artist applied himself to making a perfect bronze, with a cast and chasing of admirable quality, making our sculpture a unique and particularly desirable object.