A rare 290-year-old marble statue of Pope Clement XII, discovered in a garden in Hampshire, is set to be auctioned with an estimated value starting at £10,000. The 26-inch figure, initially mistaken for concrete by salvage yard owners in Wiltshire, was purchased by a builder who recognized its potential significance. The statue is attributed to Pietro Bracci, an Italian Baroque sculptor best known for carving the central figure of Rome’s Trevi Fountain.

The marble figure is believed to be a maquette, or preparatory model, created by Bracci in 1736 for a large bronze statue that once stood in the Great Hall of the Palazzo Nuovo on Rome’s Capitoline Hill. The original bronze statue, commissioned to commemorate Pope Clement XII’s contributions to the Capitoline Museums, was melted down during the political upheavals of the First Republic in 1798. Until this discovery, the only known representation of the statue was an 18th-century engraving by Stefano and Rocco Pozzi.

Mark Yuan-Richards, a furniture specialist at Salisbury-based auction house Woolley & Wallis, described the find as exceptionally rare. He noted that Bracci was a prominent sculptor in 18th-century Rome, responsible for various papal portraits and tombs, including those of Popes Benedict XIII and XIV. “This extraordinary survivor offers a tangible connection to the world of the papal court and the artistic splendour of the period,” Yuan-Richards said.

The statue’s condition reflects years spent exposed to the elements, with approximately five decades in an outdoor setting contributing to its weathered state. Despite this, experts emphasize the uniqueness of the piece, as maquettes by Bracci rarely surface in the market. The builder decided to consign the statue to Woolley & Wallis, which has attracted international interest ahead of the auction scheduled for October 8.

How the statue came to be in a Hampshire garden remains uncertain. It may have originated as a diplomatic gift or a private present to a British collector in the 18th century. Pope Clement XII, who served from 1730 to 1740, was known for restoring papal finances and initiating significant artistic and architectural projects, including the commissioning of the Trevi Fountain.

The auction will provide collectors and institutions the opportunity to acquire a work connected to both the artistic heritage of Baroque Rome and the papal history of the 18th century.