Veiled Lady at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, USA

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Raffaello Monti (1818-1881) often falls under the radar in standard Italian surveys of nineteenth-century sculpture. His self-imposed exile to London for most of his working career appears to have denied him recognition in his native country. However, he was one of the period's most prolific sculptors, and he continued to portray, in his inevitably sentimental style, themes dear to the Italian Risorgimento. Born in Ticino, Monti was raised in Milan. His training at the Brera Academy introduced him to Pietro Magni and Vincenzo Vela, disciples of the emergent Scuola Lombarda, or "Modern School of Milan," which developed in the '40s. The group promoted a realist art steeped in social and political implications that aimed to overthrow Canova's influence on sculpture. While Monti lacked the group's militant zeal due to his travels to Vienna, Budapest, and eventually England, his works were still influenced by their greater reliance on baroque devices, heightened realism, and sentimentality. Monti is perhaps best remembered for his veiled figures; in fact, he made them his specialty. He revived the eighteenth-century tradition of the diaphanously draped figure and used both to demonstrate his technical brilliance. As seen in The Veiled Lady, the marble is carved so ingeniously and thinly as to appear transparent in those parts where it extends over the facial features. The Veiled Lady is one of numerous versions executed during the '50s. Clearly alluding to a classical portrait bust, especially in the clean sweep of the lower edge, the bust transforms its prototype by the sensual treatment of stone and subject. The Veiled Lady (vestal virgin?) captures the perfection of innocence and youth, which, as the dew-fresh morning glories on her crown, will all too soon fade. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.