Italian, 18th century

This impressive monumental allegorical male figure represents the continent of America. The subject is identifiable by the specific attributes of the man’s feathered head-dress and skirt and the alligator at his feet. It would once have formed part of a set of the Four Continents with allegorical figures of Europe, African and Asia. Such figures and, often busts, of the Four Continents were popular as grand interior and garden decoration from the late 17th century.

In Northern Italy there were several active workshops producing large garden figures for an international market, often made in local stone from Vicenza. The present allegorical figure of America is made of marble which distinguishes it as a more expensive and important commission. Stylistically the present figure has general affinities with several Southern Netherlandish sculptors of the late 17th century such Artus Quellinus and Jan Pieter van Baurscheit, but more closely with the generation of émigré artists that came and worked in Britain, such as John Van Nost I, Peter Scheemakers and Michael Rysbrack. However, the attribution of this grand allegorical figure remains uncertain.