Flying Mercury Sculpture Value Guide

This 19th-century Italian bronze sculpture is a masterful reproduction of Giambologna's late 16th-century original commissioned for the Medici family. It is highly collectible for its dynamic composition, capturing the Roman messenger god in a gravity-defying ascent that epitomizes Mannerist grace.

What Is Flying Mercury Sculpture Worth?

The typical price range for Flying Mercury Sculpture is $2,000 - $2,400 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The quality and intricacy of the bronze casting, particularly the definition in the muscles and wings.
• The condition and type of marble used for the pedestal base, with intact stone commanding higher prices.
• Overall height and scale, as larger 19th-century casts typically reach the $2,400 valuation mark.
• The preservation of the original dark brown or blackish patina versus modern chemical re-patination.

How to Identify Flying Mercury Sculpture?

• Examine the base for a marble plinth, which is characteristic of 19th-century Italian Grand Tour editions.
• Look for the signature 'balancing' pose where Mercury is supported solely by a gust of wind from the mouth of Zephyrus.
• Check the bronze patina for natural age-related wear and the fine casting details in the caduceus and winged petasos.
• Verify the proportions and fluid lines that mimic Giambologna's original 1580 masterpiece.

History of Flying Mercury Sculpture

Giovanni da Bologna, known as Giambologna, created his iconic 'Flying Mercury' in the late 16th century. This masterpiece captures the Roman god Mercury, messenger of the gods, in a moment of dynamic ascent, balancing on a single foot. The original sculpture was commissioned for the Medici family in Florence and has been widely replicated and admired for centuries, symbolizing speed, grace, and communication.