Grand Tour Patinated Bronze Figure of Chronos, Greek God of Time, 19th Century A striking 19th-century Grand Tour patinated bronze figure of Chronos, the ancient Greek personification of Time, finely modelled and raised upon a rectangular Sienna marble base. Chronos is depicted as a powerful bearded, winged male figure in dynamic motion, balancing upon a hemisphere and carrying his traditional attribute, the scythe, an enduring symbol of the passage and inevitable passage of time. In his outstretched hand he holds an hourglass, further reinforcing the allegorical subject. The dramatic composition is particularly successful, with the sweeping curve of the scythe echoing the movement of the figure and his large feathered wings. Beside him is a further patinated bronze architectural element suggestive of ruined classical columns and masonry, an appropriate reference to antiquity and the effects of time. The bronze retains a rich, dark patination with attractive areas of natural wear and highlighting to the raised surfaces. It is mounted on its original-looking warm Sienna marble plinth, whose golden and ochre tones provide an excellent contrast with the dark bronze. Representations of Chronos, or Father Time, became particularly appropriate subjects for Grand Tour bronzes, combining classical mythology with the enduring themes of mortality, antiquity and the passage of time. This is an unusually animated and sculptural example, with considerable decorative presence despite its relatively compact scale. Italian, circa 1860. Dimensions: Height: 20 cm / 7.9 in. Width: 15.5 cm / 6.1 in. Depth: 8.5 cm / 3.35 in. A very decorative and evocative Grand Tour bronze, particularly suited to a library, study or collection of classical bronzes and works of art.