a bronze group, probably German or French second quarter 19th century, finely detailed, set on a rectangular plain bronze base mounted on a metal border with pointed flutes to three sides above the marble stand, figure only 34.5 x 31cm, 41 x 37cm overall

Dannecker began work in 1803 on Ariadne in his home town of Stuttgart, eventually finishing the marble in 1814, having sold it prior to completion in 1810 to the prominent Frankfurt banker Simon von Bethmann. When the group left the town in 1816 to become the centrepiece of Bethmann’s Odeon (the first purpose built museum in Frankfurt), Stuttgart’s citizens apparently accompanied its departure with a chant of mourning: “Traur’, Oh Stuttgart, traur’ im Grame! Traur’ um deine schönste Dame” (Grieve, oh Stuttgart, grieve in sorrow! Grieve for your most beautiful lady”). The model's fame soon became widespread, leading to numerous reproductions in a variety of media. In 1856 the marble was moved further out of town to the ‘Ariadneum’ until severely damaged by fire in 1943. Following painstaking restoration begun in 1977, it may now be seen in the Liebieghaus in Frankfurt.