the head and neck bust, an abbreviation of the opulently robed head and upper torso original, mounted on a circular socle base.  Cast by LASSCO in our Three Pigeons workshops,

The full marble bust of this characterful Florentine merchant in the Bargello is signed “Benedetto da Maiano fecit”. The casting of it in about 1885 was undertaken by Oronzio Lelli – a Florence-based formatore – probably directly for the South Kensington Museum who acquired it that year. Lelli, as is the way with formatore, then also produced the bust in reproduction as a head and socle only – omitting the shoulders draped with the elaborate cape. With this casting LASSCO is producing this smaller version.

Benedetto da Maiano 1442-97 was influenced by both Donatello (initially) and Antonio Rossellino. He worked mainly in Florence but did travel to Faenza, San Gimignano and Naples. The V&A holds another of his marble busts in the collection and at least seven of his relief works in terracotta.