372. Paire de médaillons ovales en albatre sculpté, représentant les profils respectifs de Napoléon et de Joséphine, Pise, vers 1808, attribuables a Michele Van Lint A pair of carved alabaster oval medallions depicting the profiles of Napoleon and Josephine, Pisa, circa 1808, attributable to Michele Van Lint Within associated mahogany frames, 16.5 wide, 22cm high (6in wide, 8 1/2in high) Related literature G.Hubert et G.Ledoux-Lebard, Napoléon, portraits contemporains, bustes et statues, Paris, 1999, p.109, fig.81. The sculptor Michael Van Lint of Antwerp family origin (1767-1828) was born and raised in Rome. He was a student at the prestigious Accademia San Luca, and subsequently in Volterra and moved to Pisa in 1802. Later, in Tuscany, he specialized in alabaster and received several commissions from Luisa Baciocchi, sister of the Emperor, and Giuseppina. As most of the artists from his time he was influenced by Canova and worked with sculptors of the entourage of Andrea Valadier before opening his own workshop in 1804. In 1808, at Josephine's request, he produced a large alabaster dessert service with scenes from the Iliad, offered to Napoleon, a service for the royal table and a fine Canova bust of the emperor (now conserved in Villa Sommariva-Carlotta in Tremezzo (Lake Como) with laurel clad head and draped torso. Our medallion bear stylistic and chronological similarities to the alabaster bust of Napoleon.