The Return of the Prodigal Son

1724

Antonio Montauti Italian, active 1708

On View

European: Grand Tour of Italy-Florence, Level 2, South Wing

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title The Return of the Prodigal Son

Artwork Date 1724

Artist Antonio Montauti

Life Dates active 1708

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. Italian

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Unknown

Medium Bronze

Dimensions Overall: 25 3/16 inches × 20 inches × 18 inches (64 × 50.8 × 45.7 cm)

Classification Sculpture

Department European Sculpture and Dec Arts

Credit Founders Society Purchase, Robert H. Tannahill Foundation Fund

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 73.254

Markings

Signed Signed on base: Antonio Mantauti F. 1724

Inscriptions Inscribed, dated on base: Antonio Mantauti F. 1724

Marks Inventory marks: C III; Jo77

Provenance

Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, Dowager Electress Palatine;
until sometime after 1761, Grand Ducal Collections (Florence, Italy);
probably the version sold at art market, 16 April 1803, lot 16 (Paris, France);
1803, Jean Philippe-Gui Le Gentil, Count and Marquis of Paroy [1750-1825];
by autumn 1803, Charles IV, King of Spain [1748-1819];
1803, listed in the Inventory of Bronzes Paroy-Carlos IV;
at least by 1866, Antonio de Orleans, ducques de Montpensier [1824-1890] and Infanta Maria Luisa [1832-1897], granddaughter of Charles IV (Royal Palace of San Télmo, Seville, Spain);
after 1890, Antonio, duc de Galliera [?-1930] (Paris, France);
1930-1958, Infanta Eulalia (Paris, France);
ca. 1958, art market (Paris, France);
(Heim Gallery, dealer, London, England);
1973-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

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Published References

Nota de Quadri e Opere di Scultura che Sono Eposti per la Festa de S. Luca dagli Accademici del Disegno nella Loro Cappele Posta nel Chiostro del Monastero della SS. Nunziata di Firenze l'Anno 1724. Florence, 1724, p. 9.

Catalogode los cuadros y escultura pertenecientes a la Galeria de S.S.A.A.R.R. Los Serenisimos Senores Infantes de Espana Duques de Montpensier. Seville, 1866.

Paintings and Sculptures of the Italian Baroque. Exh. cat., Heim Gallery. London, 1973, no. 35.

Twilight of the Medici. Exh. cat., Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 1974, p. 86, no. 48 (ill.).

Bulletin of the DIA 53, no. 2 (1974): 56 (ill.).

Montagu, J. "Antonio Montauti's Return of the Prodigal Son.” Bulletin of the DIA 54, no. 1 (1975): 14-23, figs 1-3. (ills.).

Arquie-Bruley, Francoise. "Nouveaux problemes autour des bronzes de la derniere des Medicis." Gazette des Beaux-Arts 109 (January 1987): 39–43, fig. 1.

Casciu, Stefano. "Due episodi della scultura fiorentina del Settecento nel mecenatismo di Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici." Paragone 37 (1986): 83-100, pl. 46A.

Darr, A. "A Valentiner Legacy: Italian Sculpture in Detroit.” Apollo 124 (December 1986): 482, fig. 12.

A. P. Darr, P. Barnet, A. Boström, with contributions by C. Avery, et al. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Detroit Institute of Arts. London, 2002, 2 vols., II, cat. 153.

Sancho Gaspar, J.L. "Il conte di Paroy e gli oggetti d'arte per Carlo IV di Spagna." DecArt: Rivista di arti decorative (Autumn 2006): no. 6, 77-117.

S. Casciu. La Principessa Saggia: L'eredità di Annamaria Louisa de' Medici, Elettrice Palatina. Firenze, 2006, cat. no. 172, pp. 312-315 (ill.).

Schmidt, Eike D., Sandro Bellesi, and Riccardo Gennaioli, ed. Plasmato dal Fuoco: La Scultura in Bronzo nella Firenze degli ultimi Medici. Exh. cat., Gallerie degli Uffizi. Firenze, September 18, 2019-January 12, 2020, pp. 272-273, cat no. 56 (ill.).

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Antonio Montauti, The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1724, bronze. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Robert H. Tannahill Foundation Fund, 73.254.