The console “L’Enfant Jésus endormi” by Filippo Parodi

The console is a masterpiece imitating grand gilt bronzes, originally created to support the sculpture of the "Infant Jesus" in white Carrara marble, now housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art (USA).
Executed with virtuosic skill, it had to be both technically and visually powerful. From its conception, a wrought iron structure was placed inside the woodwork to reinforce its solidity. The console features ornamental richness characteristic of the Baroque style. Two delicately sculpted cherubs occupy a central position. They face each other with their wings spread, while a garland of flowers and foliage, symbolizing abundance and beauty, elegantly descends below them. The legs of the console are adorned with intricate volutes shaped like acanthus leaves and other floral motifs, showcasing the exuberance and virtuosity typical of the Baroque style. It rests on robust lion’s feet, reinforcing the Roman majesty of the piece.

This exceptional work, along with the sculpture it supported, is a major creation of the celebrated 17th-century Genoese artist Filippo Parodi. Known as the master of Roman Baroque, Parodi was trained in the workshop of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) and influenced by the genius of sculptor Pierre Puget (1620–1694). The French artist resided in Genoa from 1661 to 1668, and Parodi had the opportunity to observe his work during numerous shared commissions.
Parodi’s distinctive style and mastery, as evidenced in this masterpiece, underscore the considerable role the Genoese artist played at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries in disseminating Roman Baroque in Liguria. This work was probably commissioned by the ruling family of the Genoese Republic, the Durazzo family, for the most significant of their residences, the Palazzo Reale. Formerly the Balbi Palace, it was purchased by Eugenio Durazzo (1630–1705) in 1677, at the height of the family’s power. It is likely that Eugenio Durazzo, who enlisted both Parodi and architect Carlo Fontana (1638–1714) to transform the palace in the Roman style, commissioned this piece from Parodi.

Many years later, His Excellency Viscount Charles Hippolyte Vilain XIIII, ambassador to His Majesty King Leopold I of Belgium in Italy, acquired this work in Rome. In 1844, Charles Hippolyte Vilain XIIII brought it back to Belgium, where it has since remained within the Vilain XIIII family lineage.