Aristodemo Costoli Explained

Aristodemo Costoli (1803 - 1871) was an Italian sculptor who spent his entire career in the city of Florence. He is also known for attempting in 1843 to clean and conserve the famed Renaissance-era sculpture David by Michelangelo; unfortunately his hydrochloric acid cleaning solution removed the stone's waxy protective coating and left the surface pitted and porous.^{[1] [2]} His students included Emilio Zocchi, Girolamo Masini, Augusto Rivalta and his son Leopoldo Costoli.

Partial anthology of works

Florence

• Galileo in Tribune of Galileo, at Museo della Specola (1832);
• Christophe Colomb, at musée du Nouveau Monde, La Rochelle (France);
• Pegasus, in Giardino di Boboli;
• tondo dedicated to Arnolfo di Cambio in Duomo di Firenze;
• bust of Cosimo Buonarroti and Rosina Vendramin, in Casa Buonarroti;^[3]
• Monument to L. Matteucci (1845), in Badia Fiorentina;^[4]
• Discovery of America, in Hall 5 of Galleria d'arte moderna (Firenze) in Palazzo Pitti;
• Monument to Galileo, niche in the ground-floor courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery (1851);^[5]
• Jeremiah (Palazzo Pitti);
• Funeral Monument to Della Gherardesca (Santa Maria del Fiore a Lapo);
• Bas-relief of Villa Paolina (Sesto Fiorentino).

Other cities in Italy

• Genoa: Prudence and Columbus placing flag on Beach (1862), monument to Christopher Columbus.
• Ancona: Monument to Cavour (1868), with statue dedicated to Cavour and two bas-reliefs, at Cavour square.
• Pisa: Monument to Angelica Catalani (1859), at Camposanto.
• Lucca: Bust of Leopold II, Museo nazionale di villa Guinigi.

Other countries:

• Santiago, Chile: Monument to Pedro de Valdivia
• Saint Petersburg: Memorial to Ekaterina Arkadievna Kotchoubey and her daughter Vera
• France, La Rochelle, Musée du Nouveau Monde, La découverte de l'Amérique, marbre blanc, 78x40x26 cm^[6]
• Private commissions, England.

References

• Mackay, James, The Dictionary of Sculptors in Bronze, Antique Collectors Club, Woodbridge, Suffolk 1977

Notes and References

1. Book: Paolucci . Antonio . Bracci . Susanna . Falletti . Franca . Matteini . Mauro . Exploring David: Diagnostic Tests and State of Conservation . 2004 . Giunti Editore . 978-88-09-03325-2 . 12 . The David in Florence's Accademia is young Michelangelo's masterpiece..
2. Book: Buonarroti . Michelangelo . Paolucci . Antonio . Michelangelo's David . 2006 . Harry N. Abrams . 978-1-903973-99-8 . 7 . "...a masterpiece of throbbing vitality.".
3. Guida rossa del TCI, Firenze e provincia (edition 2005), page 414
4. Guida rossa del TCI, Firenze e provincia (edition 2005), page 385
5. Quest'opera non risulta nella guida del TCI (edizione 2005), but cited in Aristodemo Costoli in the enciclopedia Treccani consultabile su Internet.
6. Web site: Statue - Christophe Colomb.