Cupid or ‘Amor with a Goose’ by Sabatino de Angelis & Fils c.1900

A rare bronze depicting Cupid or ‘Amor with a Goose’ (Amour avec oie pour Fontaine) by Sabatino de Angelis & Fils c.1900.

Cast using the lost wax process by Sabatino de Angelis & Fils, Naples .
Founded in 1840, the famous foundry in Naples operated up until the early 20th century. The Foundry was renowned for their cast bronzes using the lost wax process (exactly as the original Roman statues they were casting from would have originally been created) and were given exclusivity to cast direct from incredible sculptures in the National Archeological Museum of Naples, particularly those from Pompeii and Herculaneum which had been unearthed after being buried under the destructive might of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

This delightful ‘Cupid, Eros or Amor with Goose’ on associated plinth is taken directly from an original bronze found in the “House of The Small Fountain” in Pompeii 1st Century AD which survived the destruction of Vesuvius.
He is a water well God, bringing happiness and good fortune to the Roman home.
The original bronze was positioned within the inward looking peristyle garden, an internal courtyard that was designed to house pools and fountains almost a small garden of proposed paradise. Once used as a fountain and could be adapted to be a fountain once again, or retained as a work or art on his pedestal.

Listed in the French version of the 1900 Sabatino Catalogue Illustré, Naples on page 50, number 5000. (See attached images)

Cupid is 60cm high without his plinth.