Study For The Blessed Alessandro Sauli (1663-1668 CE)

The Study for The Blessed Alessandro Sauli is a terracotta bozzetto crafted by Pierre Puget between 1663 and 1668, serving as a preparatory model for a larger marble statue. Measuring 69.7 cm (27 7/16 in.) in height, this dynamic sculpture captures Alessandro Sauli, a revered Genoese reformer, in a moment of spiritual intensity. Housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art, the work exemplifies baroque artistry with its expressive composition and intricate details, including a putto figure clutching Sauli’s cloak, enhancing its narrative depth.

Created during the height of the Counter-Reformation, the Study for The Blessed Alessandro Sauli reflects the religious and cultural milieu of 17th-century Genoa, a prosperous maritime and financial hub. Commissioned by the aristocratic Sauli family, the bozzetto was a precursor to a monumental marble statue for the basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Carignano, Genoa, honoring Alessandro Sauli (1534–1591), a Barnabite priest and bishop. Sauli, beatified in 1741, was a key figure in Catholic reform, known for his popular missions and efforts to make the Church more accessible. Puget, a French sculptor influenced by Bernini and Genoese baroque traditions, worked in Genoa from 1661 to 1669, producing this study as part of a prestigious Sauli commission formalized on March 8, 1664.

One notable anecdote surrounds the commission’s evolution: in 1668, Puget received an additional payment of 1440 lire to incorporate a putto into the final marble statue, suggesting a last-minute enhancement to the composition. This adjustment, likely reflected in the Cleveland bozzetto’s putto clutching Sauli’s cloak, indicates the Sauli family’s desire for a more elaborate, symbolically rich work. Additionally, Puget’s time in Genoa was marked by his contentious personality; his bold artistic vision occasionally clashed with patrons, yet the Sauli family’s trust in him underscores their appreciation for his talent. The bozzetto’s survival through various collections, including those of the Marquesses Pallavicini and Henri Dobler, adds a layer of intrigue to its journey from Genoa to Cleveland.

The sculpture embodies the Counter-Reformation’s use of art to inspire devotion and reinforce Catholic authority. Alessandro Sauli’s depiction, with an open book symbolizing his reforms and a twisting pose conveying spiritual ecstasy, aligns with baroque ideals of emotional engagement and dynamism. The putto, a common baroque motif, represents divine presence and innocence, amplifying Sauli’s sanctity and the Sauli family’s piety. Commissioned for Santa Maria Assunta, a church founded by Bendinello Sauli in 1481, the sculpture reflects Genoa’s baroque culture, where aristocratic families like the Sauli used art to assert religious and social prestige. Puget’s work, influenced by Bernini and ancient Roman sculpture, introduced a heightened sense of movement and expressiveness to Genoese art, cementing his legacy as a baroque innovator.

The bozzetto is crafted from terracotta, a pliable material ideal for preparatory models, allowing Puget to experiment with composition. It stands 69.7 cm (27 7/16 in.) tall, with intricate details such as Sauli’s flowing robes, open book, and intense facial expression. The putto, positioned at the base and clutching Sauli’s cloak, adds narrative complexity, its small, cherubic form contrasting with Sauli’s commanding presence. The terracotta’s textured surface preserves Puget’s modeling techniques, revealing his skill in capturing movement and emotion. The bozzetto’s compact size facilitated refinements before translation into the larger marble statue, completed in 1668 for Santa Maria Assunta.

The Study for The Blessed Alessandro Sauli has a well-documented provenance. Likely originating in Puget’s Genoese workshop, it passed through the collections of the Marquesses Pallavicini in Genoa, the Baudouin-Gounelle collection in Marseille, and Henri Dobler’s collection in Aix-en-Provence. By the mid-20th century, it appeared on the Paris art market and was acquired through the Blumka Gallery in New York by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1964.