Medusa's Head withdrawn from auction: suspicion exists that it is stolen Giambologna work

“An element of the complex located beneath the Villa Il Riposo in Bagno a Ripoli, the unusual female face carved in local stone participated in the intricate architecture that provided the water supply for the valley below commissioned by Bernardo Vecchietti in 1573 from the famous Flemish sculptor Jean de Boulogne,” Giambologna. Reading this description of the card for lot number 19 in the catalog “Sculptures from the 15th to the 19th Century” of the works that would be auctioned by the Pandolfini Auction House in Florence on Oct. 26, two art lovers like Sabina Corsini and Neri Torrigiani could not believe their eyes. The photo next to the description left no shadow of doubt: it was the Head of Medusa from the Nymphaeum of the Fata Morgana Fountain made by the Flemish sculptor near Florence in the municipality of Bagno a Ripoli, owner since 1996 of the architectural complex and what remains of the sculptural one. And so, having alerted the mayor, the alert to the Carabinieri of the Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Artistico (Artistic Heritage Protection Unit) was initiated and the investigation started, which first caused the lot to be withdrawn from sale (and from the catalog, which thus goes from 107 to 106 pieces).

In fact, the Carabinieri will have to assess whether it is theoriginal relief that in the composition of the nymphaeum was one of the mouths from which the water gushes came out, and to verify above all how it came to Pandolfini after it was stolen in the early 20th century. Indeed, after certification of originality and provenance, it will have to be determined whether the artifact can be offered for sale or will have to be returned to the municipal administration of Bagno a Ripoli.

The statue of the Fata Morgana is also a work by Giambologna, and before becoming public property (in 1996 precisely) the nymphaeum was plundered of its furnishings and ornaments(here is the list of disappeared works) without leaving many traces: in 1990 the statue of the Fata Morgana also appeared at an auction, this time in London, becoming the property of a private individual.

But the attention on this Nymphaeum at the gates of Chianti was kept alive by Princess Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani (who for years have been organizing the “Artigianato e Palazzo” exhibition with the Giardino Corsini association aimed at the protection of artistic heritage), who in 2020 launched a fundraiser to finance the restoration of the complex and make copies of the missing pieces, such as the statue of the fairy Morgana, to make the Nymphaeum similar to the original. The collection reached 30 thousand euros, and work to carry out the restoration is expected to start soon.

The Pandolfini auction house reportedly put the Head of Medusa up for sale with a starting base of around 10-15 thousand euros and it came to it from a private individual who came with a mandate to sell it. “The suspension of the auction is wonderful first news,” says Bagno a Ripoli Mayor Francesco Casini. “We hope it can be the first step in bringing the Medusa home. Carabinieri investigations are underway and until the verifications are completed certainly no auction will be held. I thank Carabinieri, Neri Torrigiani and Sabina Corsini who set the operation in motion and Pandolfini Auction House for their sensitivity and cooperation.”

Medusa's Head withdrawn from auction: suspicion exists that it is stolen Giambologna work

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