Laurent Delvaux (Ghent 1696 - Nivelles 1778), Rome, 1728-1732 Sphinx Terracotta model Headed by Némès; resting on a fully moulded rectangular base; monogrammed D Dimensions: 21.5 x 42 x 16.5 cm (8 ½ x 16 ½ x 6 ½ in.) Provenance: Estate of Laurent Delvaux: on 2 March 1778, the work devolved by inheritance to Jean-Godefroid Delvaux; Brussels, Laurent Delvaux-de Saive collection; Louis Jacques Delvaux Collection; Ixelles, Octave Delvaux-de Breyne (Willa me) collection; Brussels, collection of Mme Madeleine Verstraete, then by descent to the current owner. Bibliography: G. Willame, Laurent Delvaux, 1696-1778, Bruxelles-Paris: G. Van Oest et Cie, 1914, p. 59, no. 68. M. Devigne, De la parenté d'inspiration des artistes flamands du XVIIe et du XVIIIe siècle. Laurent Delvaux et ses élèves, Mémoire de l'Académie royale de Belgique, Classe des Beaux-Arts, 2e série, II, fasc. 1, 1928, p. 8. A. Jacobs, Laurent Delvaux 1696-1778, Paris, Arthena, 1999, p. 206, p. 249, n°S 35. A terracotta model of a Sphinx, Laurent Delvaux (Ghent 1696 - Nivelles 1778), Rome, 1728-1732 "La Sphinge" is monogrammed D but does not bear any mention of Rome. However, the terracotta, a lovely blond colour, is Roman and not Flemish. Although the work is just as delicate and conscientious, as well as having a finished appearance, Delvaux seems to have shown more freedom in his interpretation of an antique model. The antique sculpture that comes closest to his figure is one of the two "Sphinxes" that then adorned the gardens of the Villa Borghese in Rome (Paris Musée du Louvre, inv. N 32). He transformed the Egyptian archetype into a more graceful and lively image, with a more assertive naturalism and sensuality befitting the taste of the 18th century. A second, later terracotta Sphinge by Delvaux is listed in his work (loc. cit.). The sphinx in Greek mythology is a female monster, an infernal deity with the face and breast of a woman and the body of a lion (androcephalus) that has inspired artists over the centuries. The Sphinx/Sphinx was sent to Boeotia to punish the city for the crime committed by its king, Laios, Oedipus' father, who had loved Chryssipos in an unnatural way. Sitting on a rocky outcrop, the monster asked a question of all the travellers who passed by. Those who failed to solve the riddle were immediately killed and eaten. In ancient Egypt, the sphinx was a mythical figure, a symbol of power and vigilance. The oldest representation is the Sphinx of Giza, to the east of the Pyramid of Khephren, dated to around 2500 BC. This work, which straddles the border between sculpture and architecture, features a monumental reclining lion whose head is that of the ruler Khephren or his father Khufu, wearing the royal headdress Nemes. He is depicted here as the guardian of the necropolis, charged with defending it against potential attackers or evil forces. He is the symbol of sovereign strength, a protector and a formidable foe. This terracotta testifies to his desire to penetrate the secrets of the emotion that contact in Rome with ancient marble originals could arouse in an artist sensitive to the classical ideal. Delvaux's primary aim in creating these terracotta sculptures in Rome was to build up a stock of working models for his subsequent career in the Netherlands. He kept them in his studio until the end of his life. The sphinx on display here is of major importance in assessing the work of the famous Flemish sculptor. Its appearance on the art market is a major event for collectors, art lovers and art historians. The sculpture was part of Laurent Delvaux's estate from 2 March 1778, and has been passed down from generation to generation, where it has remained to this day. We would like to thank Professor Alain Jacobs for his collaboration. We thank Professor Alain Jacobs for his collaboration.