Bust of an elderly man with a caricature head c. 1680 - 1720

This is Orazio Marinali’s marble bust of an elderly man, likely made in the late 17th or early 18th century. Marinali has used a block of fine-grained marble, carefully carving away the stone to reveal the character’s distinctive features. Marble is heavy and dense, yet allows for a smooth, polished surface, perfect for capturing the nuances of light and shadow. Note the man's wrinkled face and the way his hat droops – these details bring a sense of realism to the caricature. The process of carving marble is slow and labor-intensive, requiring skilled hands and specialized tools. The sculptor must have a deep understanding of the material’s properties and the ability to visualize the final form within the stone. The value we place on marble sculpture reflects not only the artistic skill involved, but also the physical effort and time required to transform a raw material into a work of art. Ultimately, this bust invites us to consider the relationship between the artist's labor, the inherent qualities of the material, and the social context in which art is produced and consumed.