Page 110 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

24; De Paoli 2006–2007, 446, n. 79). In 1494,
Grimani was appointed Capitano Generale da
Mar, but in 1499, he suffered a severe defeat in
the naval battle of Zonchio, leading to his exile
3
on the island of Cres (it. Cherso). Upon his re-
turn to Venice in 1509, the statue became part
of his extensive collection of antiquities and was
placed in Palazzo Grimani, positioned in a niche
at the right corner of the courtyard, near the
entrance (De Paoli 2006–2007, 428; De Paoli
2021, 48, n. 16).
The son and heir of Antonio Grimani,
110 Cardinal Domenico Grimani (1461–1523), sur-
vived his father by only a few months. Upon his
death, the collection was bequeathed to the fam-
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 13 (2025), številka 2 / volume 13 (2025), number 2
ily. Eventually, his nephew, Giovanni Grima-
ni (1506–1593), who was appointed Patriarch of
Aquileia in 1545 and was himself an avid collec-
tor of classical art, inherited the entire collection
of his late brothers, Marco, Marino, and Vet-
tore. He also reacquired portions of the Greek
and Roman artefacts that had been previously
sold. In 1587, Giovanni Grimani donated his ex-
tensive collection of ancient sculptures to the Se-
renissima (Dütschke 1882, 46, no. 115; Anti 1930,
29, no. 5; De Paoli 2006–2007, 446, n. 79; Ferr-
ara and Bergamo Rossi 2021, 20), where it is now
housed as part of the Grimani Collection. 4
The statue was discovered headless, and dur-
ing the Renaissance, a head from another stat-
ue (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia,
inv. no. 162-B) was added. In the early 20th cen-
tury, this head was replaced with a plaster cast
taken from its museum counterpart, the Muse
Melpomene (inv. no. 161; Anti 1930, 29, no. 5; Po-
Figure 1: Caryatid from Apsorus (Museo archeologi- lacco and Traversari 1988, 19, no. 3).
co nazionale di Venezia, Musei archeologici nazionali di
Venezia e della Laguna, inv. no. 162-A, su concessione del The Caryatid from Apsorus
Ministero della Cultura; photo: Singer, Neg. D-DAI-
Rom 68.4933) The female statue from Apsorus stands 2.28
meters high (including the added head; Polac-
subsequently donated by its inhabitants to An- co and Traversari 1988, 19, no. 3) and is dressed
tonio Grimani (1434–1523), who later became in a chiton and diplex. The lower portions of her
the Doge of Venice (1521–1523; Favaretto 1993, arms are missing; however, the positioning of

3 According to Marcella De Paoli, he remained in Osor on the island of Cres until his return to Venice (De Paoli 2021, 48, n. 16),
whereas Irene Favaretto (1993, 15; 2002, 84) argues that he left it after two years and sought refuge in Rome.
4 On collection: Favaretto (2002, 84–93), De Paoli (2006–2007).