The Campbell Sisters at The Scottish National Gallery, Scotland

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This group shows Emma and Julia, the two youngest daughters of Lady Charlotte Campbell, sister of the Duke of Argyll. They were born to her first husband Colonel John Campbell of Shawfield. Bartolini described the girls as 'dancing a waltz'. Their movements are skillfully conveyed by their elegant, tip-toe poses and delicate draperies that gently waft around them. Commissioned by their elder brother, the finished marble was shipped from Livorno to Edinburgh and installed in the dining room at Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Argyll. The base is inscribed with a dedication to John Flaxman, an English sculptor whose engravings of Homeric subjects Bartolini greatly admired. This piece is the most important Italian sculpture carved for a Scottish patron in the nineteenth century. Bartolini's early career was marked by a colourful journey that took him to Paris as a drummer in Napoleon's army. He eventually settled in Florence in 1815 and became the leading Italian sculptor after Canova's death in 1822. His position was surpassed only by that of Bertel Thorvaldsen, a Dane who lived in Rome until his passing in 1838. Bartolini is best known for his lively portrait busts, which were highly sought after by visiting tourists who appreciated the relatively low prices he charged. The contents of Bartolini's studio, including a full-scale model for 'The Campbell Sisters' group (NG 2876), belong to the Galleria dell' Accademia in Florence. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, and anyone with interesting items can contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can help. This sculpture was scanned using photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan).