Terms and conditions of use
Love is blind
(Amore Accieca)
(c. 1875)
Medium
marble
Measurements
168.6 × 70.0 × 58.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Carol Sisson through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program, 2020
Gallery location
19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
Barcaglia was a highly skilled artist and at a young age was under the tutelage of Neoclassical sculptor Abbondio Sangiorgio at the Brera Academy, Milan. There, he received an education typical of the time, grounded in the Classical tradition. Like many artists of his day, he began his career as a painter before shifting his attention to sculpting. He certainly found his place working in three dimensions and created many dazzling works noted for their delicate and interesting details, which made his work stand-out in a
crowded art scene. Barcaglia achieved distinction at international exhibitions held in Vienna in 1873, Florence in 1875 and Philadelphia in 1876, forging a truly international career. He was a well-established and experienced sculptor by the time he produced Love is blind, which he entered in the Florentine Exhibition in 1875 where it won a Gold medal. Love is blind featured in
many expositions around the world during the late 1870s, where it acted as a virtual calling card for Barcaglia. Typical of the time, Barcaglia and his studio produced multiple carved versions of their successful works in a variety of sizes. Certain details and some elements were included, or not, depending on the value of the commission. The NGV work is extremely refined, lacking no details and is as large as any that were produced. It is possible that this very piece was exhibited at the Florentine Exhibition in 1876.