Statue found in Wiltshire salvage yard turns out to be work by Trevi Fountain sculptor worth £100k

A marble sculpture bought at a reclamation yard for £300 is expected to fetch as much as £100,000 at auction after being identified as the work of a celebrated Italian master sculptor.

The 290-year-old Italian marble maquette, depicting Pope Clement XII Corsini, was discovered by a keen-eyed builder at a salvage yard in Wiltshire.

Originating from a Hampshire country house near Andover, the weathered artwork had been mistaken for concrete by the owners of the yard.

However, the buyer suspected the piece might be special, and his modest gamble is now set to yield a significant return.

The work, which stands 26 inches (just over two foot) tall, was produced by Italian Baroque master Pietro Bracci, who is famous for sculpting the central figure of Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain.

He sculpted the Pope maquette as a preparatory model for a monumental bronze figure that once stood in the Great Hall of the Palazzo Nuovo on Rome's Capitoline.

Because the original statue no longer exists, this piece is believed to be the only surviving maquette, making it both important and rare.

The seller, who is remaining anonymous, has consigned the artwork to Salisbury-based auctioneers Woolley & Wallis.

Although given a pre-sale estimate of £10,000, the sculpture could reach 10 times that amount following substantial international interest in the lot ahead of the sale date.

Mark Yuan Richards, Woolley & Wallis furniture specialist, said: "This is an exceptionally exciting discovery.

"To have a rare eighteenth-century marble figure of Pope Clement XII by Pietro Bracci come to light, and now be offered for sale, is a remarkable opportunity.

"Bracci was one of the great sculptors of eighteenth-century Rome, and this extraordinary survivor offers a tangible connection to the world of the papal court and the artistic splendour of the period."

The seller is not a professional antiques dealer, but has an "eye" for it, Mr Yuan Richards said.

"He found it at a reclamation yard in the last couple of months. They thought it was concrete so he bought it for £300, then realised it was marble.

"He had a feeling it was good, but he didn't know it was signed or how important it was.

"It is in quite weathered condition, it's been in a garden outside for maybe 50 years so it's not in perfect condition but it's pretty much unique.

"The original bronze was melted down and the only known representation before this was an engraving of it.

"How it ended up in a garden in Hampshire we don't know. It might have been gifted to a Brit on a Grand Tour in the 18th century or a diplomatic gift for someone who knew the pope.

"We've had international interest already and it's still early days. It's hard to predict because Bracci works don't come onto the market hardly ever."

Bracci was a prominent creative figure in 18th-century Rome with a distinguished career, also crafting portraits and tombs for Popes Benedict XIII and XIV.

Commissioned in 1736 and funded by the Roman Senate, the bronze was created to commemorate the pope's gift to the Capitoline Museums.

Pope Clement XII restored papal finances and led a major programme of artistic, civic, and architectural renewal during his decade in power from 1730-1740, which included starting the Trevi Fountain project.

The pope's bronze statue did not remain long at the Palazzo Nuovo; it was moved and later melted down in 1798 during the First Republic.

Prior to the discovery of this marble maquette, an engraving by Stefano and Rocco Pozzi was the only known image of the bronze.