AFTER JOSEPH NOLLEKENS (1737-1825), A MARBLE GROUP 'CHILD BEING CARRIED BY A DOLPHIN' LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY Carved marble after the original model by Bartolomeo Cavaceppiapproximately 51cm high, 62cm wideProvenance:Formerly in Dodington ParkThe Hermitage museum holds in its collections what was probably the principle inspiration for this group- a large work in marble catalogued in 1768 as a work by Rafaello executed by Lorenzetti and 'restored' by Bartolomeo Cavaceppi. However, smaller versions by Joseph Nollekens, who had access to Cavaceppi's studio in Rome, were already recorded from as early as 1764 when a version was purchased by Lord Palmerston for Broadlands. Seymour Howard records other versions of these groups by Nollekens and his workshop: one for the 9th Earl of Exeter at Burghley, one at Althorp, another for the Earl Bishop, the fourth earl of Bristol and now at Ickworth and a fourth in terracotta for David Garrick. LiteratureS. Howard, 'Boy on a dolphin: Nollekens and Cavaceppi' in The Art Bulletin, June 1964, vol.XLVI, no.2, pp.177-189 mentioned in the note on p.188

Losses to fingers on left hand