MERCURY PLAYING THE FLUTE - The Embden Collection France, 18th/19th century. After a model by Barthélemy Prieur (1536–1611). Dark-brown patinated bronze. Mercury in the nude, standing in contrapposto with a winged helmet and playing a flute. On an assorted marble plinth. H without plinth 20.5 cm. Patina slightly rubbed. Minor scratches to the bronze, flute incomplete. Marble plinth with chips to the edge and traces of glue. Provenance: - The Antony and Arlette Embden Collection, Paris. - Sotheby's auction, Paris, June 14, 2022, lot 17 (on offer as “from the workshop of Barthelemy Prieur”) One of the best-known versions of this figure of Mercury comes from the Abbott Guggenheim Collection in New York, which was sold by Christie’s in January 2015. It is attributed by Charles Avery to the sculptor Barthélemy Prieur (1536–1611). This much larger figure probably came from the collection of the garden architect André Le Nôtre (1613–1700), as suggested by an inventory extract. It was shown in the exhibition Cast in Bronze: French Sculpture from Renaissance to Revolution (October 22, 2008–September 27, 2009), organized by the Louvre in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum and the J. Paul Getty Museum. It is probably the first known sculpture of a male figure from Prieur's oeuvre that is depicted in the nude. Furthermore, this depiction of Mercury with a transverse flute is unique in both sculpture and painting of the 16th century. (See Geneviève Bresc-Bautier and Guilhem Scherf: Bronzes français de la Renaissance au Siècle des lumières. Paris 2008, pp. 112–115, No. 17). Compared to the figure from the Abbott Guggenheim Collection, the figure on offer shows some differences in the design of the hands, face, and hair. The contrapposto of the figure on offer is also less pronounced. In addition, Mercury is wearing Roman sandals. A figure very similar to the one on offer was sold by Sotheby's London (auction 7.12.2010, lot 66), where it was attributed to Barthelemy Prieur. * The full tax is charged on this item marked *, i.e. VAT is charged on the sum will be refunded to Purchasers providing a validly stamped export declaration.