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A Carrara marble sculpture signed by Affortunato Gory*, depicting the face of a young woman, dating from the Art Nouveau period around 1900, early 20th century. The young woman's face, sculpted in high relief, is shown in three-quarter view. Her features are fine and delicate, accentuated by a slight smile. Her wavy hair frames her face, and she is enveloped in a drapery tied at her neck.
Her face seems to emerge from the surrounding rock. Gory employs the "non finito" technique here: the face is sculpted with a polished, smooth finish, while the rest of the marble block is deliberately left raw and textured, mimicking natural rock. This staging creates the illusion that the female figure is emerging or taking on a life of its own from the stone.
It is signed on the side there is a publisher's plate "AH Edition française".
Please note: there is some soiling, scratches and wear consistent with age, see photos.
Fortunato Gori was an Italian sculptor active from 1886 until his death in Paris in 1925. Originally from Florence, he studied sculpture at the Academy under Auguste Rivalta. Like many Italian artists, Gory emigrated to Paris at the beginning of the 20th century to pursue his art. He changed his name from Fortunato Gori to Affortunato Gory and began exhibiting at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1902 with a Bust of a Woman executed in bronze and marble. He continued to exhibit his works there until 1923. Gory owed his success to his graceful female sculptures and his combined use of bronze and marble, alabaster, or ivory.
The artist is highly rated on Artprice.
