Filippo della Valle

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Filippo della Valle was an Italian late-Baroque or early Neoclassic sculptor, active mostly in Rome (Florence, 1698- Rome, 1768).

Initially trained with Giovanni Battista Foggini in Florence, and then alongside Giovanni Battista Maini, with Camillo Rusconi in Rome. In 1725, he won a contest of the Academy of St Luke together with Pietro Bracci, and worked alongside him in Niccola Salvi's Trevi Fountain, where realized the allegorical statues of Health and Abundance.

Filippo is known for his Annunciation relief (1750) in Sant'Ignazio; much more restrained and flatter relief than that of Bernardino Cametti's elaborate treatment in 1729 in La Superga of same theme. He also completed the statue of Temperance (1734) in Corsini Chapel at San Giovanni Laterano. The statue recalls Francois Duquesnoy's pioneering early baroque, yet sorberly classic, Santa Susanna. In this chapel, Filippo shows himself a pupil of Soldani, and here he worked with with Maini, another pupil of Rusconi. In style Filippo was allied to the rising group of French sculptors including Michelangelo Slodtz (1705-1764). Filippo also completed the monument of Innocent XII (1746) and a Santa Teresa of Avila (1754) for Basilica St Peter's. He was named Principe of the Academy of Saint Luke.