Emanuele Caroni (Italian 1826 -1876) L'Amour Vainqueuer de la Force, a 19th Century Italian carved carrara marble sculpture of cupid taming the lion, the winged figure playing a lyre with a quiver of arrows on his back whilst seated upon the back of a recumbant lion licking cupids foot, signed to the reverse E. Caroni F. 1867, height 105cm x width 92cm, on associated stepped plinth, width 106cm, minor losses. Notes: This work was one of three sculptures entered by E Caroni into the Exposition Universalle, at the Paris Salon in 1867, alongside Esclave au Marche and Ophelie. Caroni was awarded a medal for these works under the category of 'Sculpteurs et graveurs en medailles du sur pierres fines etrangers'. It is believed to have been acquired by the Firmstone family in the late 19th or early 20th Century. Emanuele Caroni was born in Roncate, Como, and went to the Brera Academy, Milan, completing his studies under Lorenzo Bartolini. His work tended to be of a funerary nature and appears to have been retailed by the Barzanti or Bazzanti galleries in Florence. He became politically active, joining the movement for the independence of Italy and took part in the famous 'Five Days of Milan'. He subsequently established himself in Florence and became hugely productive, his works being shown in Italy, France and America. His repertoire includes 'Schiava alla Vendita', gold medal winner at the Florence Exhibition in 1861, The Columbus Monument in Philadelphia, La Prima Gioventu subsequently acquired by the National Gallery, Washington, D.C. Literature: M. Fr. Dacuing , L'Exposition Universalle de 1867 Illustree, Vol. I p.228 Alfonso Panzetta, Dizionario degli Scultori italiani, vol. I, Adarte, 2003, p. 204

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