Pair of Italian Terracotta Dolphin Fountain Spouts, Late 18th / Early 19th Century

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Description

Pair of Italian Terracotta Dolphin Fountain Spouts, Late 18th / Early 19th CenturyA captivating pair of Italian terracotta dolphin fountain spouts, dating to the late 18th or early 19th century. Each is modelled as a stylised dolphin with an open mouth and expressive features, the body rising into a tapering, hollow column. The vertical series of pierced apertures, together with the open mouth, reveal their original purpose within a water system designed to carry and release water in a controlled, decorative flow, likely within a

a charming and characteristic feature

with layers of distressed traces of original paint from many years of overpainting

She is exceptionally carved

bearded elder embodying depth and experience

probably ‘Delphinus’ the dolphin King - whose tail and fins wrap around his legs surrounded by kelp fronds

although their wares quickly became popular exports throughout the Roman Empire

biting at each other’s tails - perhaps conjuring fire - around the base of a later conical pricket candlestick

De Angelis & fils’

or simply an admirer of historical artefacts

and the interplay between nature and memory

The surface of the marble has a delicate time-worn patina

Its sculptural rounded body