Ask the Scholar

Soldani was selected by Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III to receive special education in Rome and Paris and became one of the most important sculptors of the baroque period in Florence. He was trained as a medallist, which explains his preference for working in relief, a quality which can be noticed even in his sculptures in the round: they are designed to be seen from one side and are composed almost like a painting. Characteristic of the artist's works are the silky smoothness of the surfaces and the brilliant perfection of the finish. The emotional intensity of the Virgin struck with grief and bending over her dead son was a subject that Soldani treated several times, exploring the delicate balance between pain and grace.