Description

Minerva

Plaster copy of the Athena Giustiniani – Italy, 19th century

Fine plaster sculpture depicting the Athena Giustiniani, an elegant reduced replica of the celebrated Roman statue, itself derived from a Greek prototype dating to the 5th–4th century BC. Discovered in Rome in the early 17th century, the celebrated original is now housed in the Vatican Museums.

The goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare is depicted according to the canons of classical antiquity, in a solemn and composed pose. She wears a Corinthian-style helmet and a generously draped garment, while the aegis, adorned with the head of Medusa, encircles the bust beneath the chest. In her right hand she holds a spear, here rendered in gilded wood; at her feet appears the sacred serpent, a traditional attribute of the goddess and a reference to her protective nature and to the founding myth of Athens.

The sculpture belongs to the production of plaster reproductions made in Italy during the 19th century for the Grand Tour market. During this period, works of classical antiquity were an essential point of reference for European aristocrats, scholars and travellers, who purchased casts and reduced versions of the most celebrated sculptures preserved in Roman collections.

The Athena Giustiniani enjoyed particular popularity within Neoclassical culture and European collecting. Its fame was also linked to the admiration of prominent figures of 18th- and 19th-century culture, including Johann Joachim Winckelmann and Johann Wolfgang Goethe, who owned a plaster cast of the goddess at his residence in Weimar.

Plaster reproductions were intended for reception rooms, libraries, studies and private picture galleries, allowing collectors to bring into their homes the image of the most celebrated works of classical antiquity. The present example retains its original aged patina, enhancing its material qualities and historical character.

Period: 19th century, Grand Tour period
Subject: Minerva
Author: Copy after an ancient model
Place of manufacture: Italy
Materials: Plaster with original patina; gilded wooden spear
Dimensions: Height 110 cm; base width 33 cm; base depth 25 cm
Condition: Overall in good condition. The sculpture retains its original period patina. There are minor traces of previous conservation work and light signs of age, including small chips and surface wear, consistent with the age and nature of the piece. There is also a missing phalanx on the little finger of the right hand. These characteristics do not affect the stability of the sculpture or its overall aesthetic appearance.