Polyphemus

Van Clève studied Annibale Carracci's frescoes in the Farnese Gallery in Rome; his morceau de reception (presented in 1681), the Polyphemus, is directly derived in pose from Annibale's composition there. Nevertheless, despite its derivative nature, the Polyphemus is important as the first reception piece to be a completely modelled statue and not a bas-relief. Its forceful musculature and robustly confident air initiate a whole series of such pieces.