By Kelly Richman-Abdou on March 17, 2019

This Italian artist from 250 years ago took 7 years to create this and, honestly, it’s worth it.

The Release from Deception’ (1754) by Francesco Queirolo

For centuries, sculptors around the world have adopted marble as their medium of choice. In order to both illustrate marble’s carving capabilities and showcase their own sculpting skills, these artists often select subjects that require a certain level of expertise. These challenging motifs include anatomical details, dynamic drapery, and, in the case of Il Disinganno, delicate netting. Every piece of this incredible sculpture is carved out of marble, including the carefully crafted knots in the draping net wrapped around the large figure of a fisherman.

l Disinganno, also known as The Release from Deception, was crafted by Genoese artist Francesco Queirolo in the 18th century. Widely regarded as his pièce de résistance, this sculpture has solidified Queirolo’s legacy as one of Italy’s leading 18th-century artists.

The Release from Deception

The Release from Deception depicts a scene that is both biblical and allegorical. It features two subjects: an angel and a fisherman. The angel stands on a globe as he untangles the man from a net and floats above exquisite drapery.

BIBLICAL MEANING

According to the Museo Capella Sansevero (“Sansevero Chapel Museum”) the net symbolizes sin. As the angel sets the man free, he rids him of his wrongdoings and introduces him to the Bible, which rests at his feet. In order to emphasize the idea of liberation, Queirolo adorned the open pages of the book with a Latin passage that reads: “I will break thy chain, the chain of the darkness and long night of which thou art a slave so that thou might not be condemned with this world.”

SECULAR SYMBOLISM

In addition to religious undertones, the sculpture incorporates secular symbols. For example, the flame on the angel’s head represents human intellect, while the globe signifies worldly passions. These elements coincide with Raimondo’s dedication to his father, which explores the idea of “human fragility, which cannot know great virtues without vice.” […]

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