Bidspirit auction | A large hollow bronze sculpture

A large hollow bronze sculpture water feature by G Mariani, depicting a young boy playing a transverse flute. The figure is attired in 18th-century style costume, including a wide-brimmed hat, an open jacket, ruffled breeches, and buckled shoes. He stands on a naturalistic base shaped like a rocky outcrop, which features a small bird perched near his right foot. The base is incised with the signature G MARIANI in capital letters. The underside of the base shows a copper-alloy plumbing tube, indicating that the sculpture was originally designed as a fountain ornament, intended for water to flow through the openings in the flute. The entire piece is finished with a natural and extensive green verdigris patina.