Vincenzo Pacetti
Encyclopedia
Vincenzo Pacetti was an Italian sculptor and restorer from Castel Bolognese
, particularly active in collecting and freely restoring and completing classical sculptures such as the Barberini Faun
(1799 - now in the Glyptothek
, Munich)— his most famous work— the Hope Dionysus
(now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
) and the Athena of Velletri
(1797 - now in the Louvre
) and selling them on to rich collectors as finished artefacts. He was the brother of Camillo Pacetti
.
Pacetti trained in the studio of the sculptor-restorer Pietro Pacili, 1766–72, taking over Pacili's studio at the elder sculptor's death. As an independent sculptor, he was accepted into the Accademia di San Luca
, presenting his portrait (illustration) and serving as director, a testament to his reputation. Bartolomeo Cavaceppi
, another leading sculptor-restorer esteemed Pacetti enough to make him executor of his will.
From the Barberini
, Pacetti was promised the purchase of a cache of Roman sculptures and fragments in 1799, among which prominently figured the Barberini Faun. He removed earlier restorations and sculpted a new right leg in marble, but the members of the Barberini family withdrew their offer of sale, and Pacetti was reimbursed the sum of 2000 zecchini.
As the favoured sculptor-restorer for Prince Marcantonio Borghese, he also produced many reliefs and stucci on mythological themes for the Sala degli Imperatori (of which "The goat Amanthea" and "Perseus freeing Andromeda" are most notable) and the room housing Bernini's Aeneas and Anchises
and Apollo and Daphne, both at the Galleria Borghese
. Other works of his are in San Salvatore in Lauro
, Santo Spirito in Sassia
, Santi Michele e Magno
, and the Palazzo Carpegna.
In the latter end of his career his most important patron was Lucien Bonaparte
, for whom he supplied plaster casts of famous antique sculptures for his villa at Canino.
He died in Rome
. His diary covering the years 1773-1803, and correspondence are important primary resources for the Roman art market of his day.
Castel Bolognese
Castel Bolognese is a comune in the Province of Ravenna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 40 km southeast of Bologna and about 35 km southwest of Ravenna. As for 2006, it has a population of c...
, particularly active in collecting and freely restoring and completing classical sculptures such as the Barberini Faun
Barberini Faun
The life-size marble statue known as the Barberini Faun or Drunken Satyr is located in the Glyptothek in Munich, Germany. A Faun is the Roman equivalent of a Greek Satyr. In Greek mythology, satyrs were human-like male woodland spirits with several animal features, often a goat-like tail, hooves,...
(1799 - now in the Glyptothek
Glyptothek
The Glyptothek is a museum in Munich, Germany, which was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I to house his collection of Greek and Roman sculptures . It was designed by Leo von Klenze in the Neoclassical style, and built from 1816 to 1830...
, Munich)— his most famous work— the Hope Dionysus
Hope Dionysus
The Hope Dionysus is a 82 1/4 in. high statue of Dionysus, the god of wine, wearing a panther skin and casually stretching his left arm over a smaller figure of a woman, who is Neo Attic or archaic in pose.It dates to between 27 BC and 68 AD...
(now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
) and the Athena of Velletri
Athena of Velletri
The Athena of Velletri or Velletri Pallas is a type of classical marble statue of Athena, wearing a helmet.-Original:All statues of this type are 1st century Roman copies of a lost Greek bronze, possibly a bronze of c. 430 BC by Kresilas. The oval face and the sharpness of the eyebrow ridge, nose...
(1797 - now in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
) and selling them on to rich collectors as finished artefacts. He was the brother of Camillo Pacetti
Camillo Pacetti
.Camillo Pacetti was an Italian sculptor. He was the brother of Vincenzo Pacetti, another sculptor.A student of the Accademia di San Luca, he later worked in various churches in Rome and Milan...
.
Pacetti trained in the studio of the sculptor-restorer Pietro Pacili, 1766–72, taking over Pacili's studio at the elder sculptor's death. As an independent sculptor, he was accepted into the Accademia di San Luca
Accademia di San Luca
The Accademia di San Luca, was founded in 1577 as an association of artists in Rome, under the directorship of Federico Zuccari, with the purpose of elevating the work of "artists", which included painters, sculptors and architects, above that of mere craftsmen. Other founders included Girolamo...
, presenting his portrait (illustration) and serving as director, a testament to his reputation. Bartolomeo Cavaceppi
Bartolomeo Cavaceppi
Bartolomeo Cavaceppi was an Italian sculptor who worked in Rome, where he trained in the studio of the acclimatized Frenchman, Pierre-Étienne Monnot, and then in the workshop of Carlo Antonio Napolioni, a restorer of sculptures for Cardinal Alessandro Albani, who was to become a major patron of...
, another leading sculptor-restorer esteemed Pacetti enough to make him executor of his will.
From the Barberini
Barberini
The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII...
, Pacetti was promised the purchase of a cache of Roman sculptures and fragments in 1799, among which prominently figured the Barberini Faun. He removed earlier restorations and sculpted a new right leg in marble, but the members of the Barberini family withdrew their offer of sale, and Pacetti was reimbursed the sum of 2000 zecchini.
As the favoured sculptor-restorer for Prince Marcantonio Borghese, he also produced many reliefs and stucci on mythological themes for the Sala degli Imperatori (of which "The goat Amanthea" and "Perseus freeing Andromeda" are most notable) and the room housing Bernini's Aeneas and Anchises
Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius is a sculpture by the Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, c. 1619. It is housed in the Galleria Borghese, Rome. It depicts Anchises being carried by Aeneas, and Ascanius following them....
and Apollo and Daphne, both at the Galleria Borghese
Galleria Borghese
The Borghese Gallery is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. It is a building that was from the first integral with its gardens, nowadays considered quite separately by tourists as the Villa Borghese gardens...
. Other works of his are in San Salvatore in Lauro
San Salvatore in Lauro
San Salvatore in Lauro is a Catholic church in central Rome, Italy, located in the rione Ponte. It is the "national church" of the marchigiani, the inhabitants of the Marche region of Italy...
, Santo Spirito in Sassia
Santo Spirito in Sassia
Santo Spirito in Sassia is a 12th century basilica church in Rome.It has been erected in Borgo Santo Spirito, a street which got its name from the church, placed in the southern part of Rione Borgo....
, Santi Michele e Magno
Church of Santi Michele e Magno
The Church of Saints Michael and Magnus is a Roman Catholic church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel and the Bishop Saint Magnus of Anagni. It lies in Rione Borgo, and is the national church dedicated to The Netherlands. It is also known as the "Church of the Frisians"...
, and the Palazzo Carpegna.
In the latter end of his career his most important patron was Lucien Bonaparte
Lucien Bonaparte
Lucien Bonaparte, Prince Français, 1st Prince of Canino and Musignano , born Luciano Buonaparte, was the third surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and his wife Letizia Ramolino....
, for whom he supplied plaster casts of famous antique sculptures for his villa at Canino.
He died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. His diary covering the years 1773-1803, and correspondence are important primary resources for the Roman art market of his day.
Sources
- Italian artists (in Italian)
- Nancy Ramage, "Vincenzo Pacetti and Luciano Bonaparte: The Restorer and his Patron," in Janet Burnett Grossman, Jerry Podany, and Marion True (ed.s), History of Restoration of Ancient Stone Sculptures (The Getty Museum, 2003).http://www.getty.edu/bookstore/titles/stonesculpt.html