Bust of Apollo

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This elegant bust of the god Apollo recalls Roman late baroque sculpture in the wake of Alessandro Algardi (1598-1654), who pioneered the image of the idealised male youth in works such as his Borghese Table and St Philip Neri. The present Apollo, with his hair flowing back in curling locks from an off-centre parting, is in the tradition of youths based on the ancient archetypal portrait of Alexander the Great, reflected also in Bernini's Daniel. The carving of the hair and drapery is very fine, and we can see the god's arrow fletches behind his right shoulder.