BONHAMS SELL ROMAN BUST THAT LINKS FRANCO ZEFFIRELLI, ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND RICHARD BURTON
A lovely Roman marble bust that film director, Franco Zeffirrelli gave as a wedding gift to friends who worked with him on the filming of `The Taming of the Shrew’, will be sold at Bonhams next Antiquities Sale in London on 28th April.
Dating from the second century AD the Roman herm head traditionally used on the top of a pillar, is estimated to sell for £7,000 to £9,000. A wonderful photo of the bride and groom taken at their wedding with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Zeffirelli will be sold with the bust they received from the film director.
A herm is a sculpted image of a god, thought to be originally Hermes. It stood in doorways, gardens or by the wayside for the protection of orchards and vineyards. There is also evidence that such an image was used in the performance of the ‘sacred marriage’ ritual in the Dionysiac mysteries connected with purification and fertility.
The filming of the Taming of the Shrew in Rome in 1967 brought all these creative people together in a project that was critically acclaimed.
The Taming of the Shrew is a 1967 feature film based on a play by William Shakespeare about a courtship between two strong-willed people. The film was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio.
Taylor and Burton put over a million dollars into the production, and instead of a salary, took a percentage of profits. The film was originally a vehicle for Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.
The film had two Academy Award nominations, for Best Costume Design, and Best Art Direction (Lorenzo Mongiardino, John DeCuir, Elven Webb, Giuseppe Mariani, Dario Simoni, Luigi Gervasi).
It also had two BAFTA Award nominations for Best British Actor (Richard Burton), and Best British Actress (Elizabeth Taylor).
Madeline Perridge, a specialist in the Antiquities Department at Bonhams, says: “This charming 1,800 year old bust has had a fascinating and romantic recent history with its link to this film. Selected by the Zeffirelli eye as a fitting wedding present for friends and its association with Taylor and Burton, all adds to its strange and wonderful provenance.”
For further information about Antiquities at Bonhams please visit our website on www.bonhams.com/antiquities
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com.
Dating from the second century AD the Roman herm head traditionally used on the top of a pillar, is estimated to sell for £7,000 to £9,000. A wonderful photo of the bride and groom taken at their wedding with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Zeffirelli will be sold with the bust they received from the film director.
A herm is a sculpted image of a god, thought to be originally Hermes. It stood in doorways, gardens or by the wayside for the protection of orchards and vineyards. There is also evidence that such an image was used in the performance of the ‘sacred marriage’ ritual in the Dionysiac mysteries connected with purification and fertility.
The filming of the Taming of the Shrew in Rome in 1967 brought all these creative people together in a project that was critically acclaimed.
The Taming of the Shrew is a 1967 feature film based on a play by William Shakespeare about a courtship between two strong-willed people. The film was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio.
Taylor and Burton put over a million dollars into the production, and instead of a salary, took a percentage of profits. The film was originally a vehicle for Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.
The film had two Academy Award nominations, for Best Costume Design, and Best Art Direction (Lorenzo Mongiardino, John DeCuir, Elven Webb, Giuseppe Mariani, Dario Simoni, Luigi Gervasi).
It also had two BAFTA Award nominations for Best British Actor (Richard Burton), and Best British Actress (Elizabeth Taylor).
Madeline Perridge, a specialist in the Antiquities Department at Bonhams, says: “This charming 1,800 year old bust has had a fascinating and romantic recent history with its link to this film. Selected by the Zeffirelli eye as a fitting wedding present for friends and its association with Taylor and Burton, all adds to its strange and wonderful provenance.”
For further information about Antiquities at Bonhams please visit our website on www.bonhams.com/antiquities
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com.
