The boy, or putto, astride a dolphin in carved and painted wood is probably part of a larger work executed for the decoration of a Genoese mansion. In fact, similarities are to be found in the pose, albeit more rigid, of the two tritons on dolphins in white Bardiglio marble attributed to Filippo Parodi,¹ the latter being one of a series of four - formerly used as supports for vases or planters - from Villa Grimaldi at Pegli, which were bequeathed to the Durazzo Pallavicini Collection. 

Payments made by the Doria family to Filippo Parodi for sculpted decorations are recorded from 1671 onwards, and from 1695 until his death, the relative documents also indicate the name of his son Domenico. In 1695, in fact, Giovanni Andrea III Doria married the Roman noblewoman Anna Pamphilj, which occasioned a series of commissions to renew the decorative scheme and furnishings of Palazzo del Principe, the Doria residence at Fassolo. Filippo Parodi played a leading part in this project, probably designing both the décor and the celebrations.² On observing the palace, Ratti (1780) wrote that the prince needed numerous works to decorate every corner of the mansion, but only a few of the sculptures that embellished them have come down to us. It is possible, therefore, that there were many other pieces by followers of the artist, executed in a similar style and with elements characteristic of Parodi, such as the base in the form of rocks and large dolphins surmounted by putti, which created a spectacular effect but whose execution was less accomplished and refined.³ 

Between 1695 and 1697, a second decorative campaign that concerned mainly the Galleria Aurea in the residence, involved new commissions for paintings and furnishings. Once again, Filippo Parodi and his son Domenico participated in the project; in fact, documents attest that Filippo Parodi worked as a woodcarver in his maturity, although he was already a marble sculptor of excellent repute. We do not know if the sculpture presented here comes from Palazzo del Principe, but the affinity with some works and its marked threedimensionality would indicate that it was a least inspired by the pieces there. In the Doria Collection, in fact, there are sculptures of putti on dolphins which, due to a lack of refinement, cannot be attributed to Filippo, but accurately reprise his works. They include a series of four sconces with dolphins and putti, which are still in Palazzo del Principe, attributed to Ludovico Ayroldi⁴ who, probably from Lombardy, was active as a woodcarver in Genoa and was paid by the Doria for works executed in 1698. To the same artist is also attributed the support of a table composed of dolphins in sculpted, carved and gilded wood, a Baroque piece reworked in the Neoclassical style, which is in the Giovanni Andrea Doria Collection (Genoa, Palazzo del Principe, Sala dei Giganti). Nor should we ignore the imposing scheme of The Temple of Neptune represented on the temporary float created by Domenico Parodi for the visit to Genoa of the Prince- Elector of Bavaria, Charles Albert in 1716; a scheme known to us through engravings, a sketch and detailed descriptions.⁵ 

In this regard, mention should be made of a group of torch-holders in wood with small tritons and dolphins (perhaps a series of four, dating to the early 18th century, whereabouts unknown)⁶ and a wall shelf in wood (late 17th century, whereabouts unknown)⁷ of Genoese origin. The Genoese provenance of the piece under examination is also confirmed by the design for a spinet supported by dolphins (late 17th century, Berlin, Kunstbibliothek) attributed to a Genoese artist active in Rome.⁸ 

Sara Comoglio 

¹ Gavazza, Rotondi Terminiello 1992 pp. 314-316, figs. 195-196.

² Stagno 2012, pp. 353-356.

³ Id. 2005, pp. 101-104.

⁴ Id. 2012, pp. 361-362.

⁵ Newcome 1980, pp. 79-83.

⁶ González-Palacios 1996, p. 93, fig. 108.

⁷ Ibid., p. 107, fig. 127.

⁸ González-Palacios 2000, pp. 38, 79, fig. 57.