Roundel, relief in pigmented terracotta, head of a man in a garland, Italy (probably Emilian), second half of 15th century

Circular relief in terracotta. At the centre of the medallion is a life-sized bust of a middle-aged man in high relief, within a shell surrounded by a wreath. He looks downward, wearing a ridged cap and a plain gown. There are remains of naturalistic pigmentation around the face; the gown and cap are dark blue, and the surface of the shell appears to have been red. The much darkened wreath was originally painted green with red berries.

This object was purchased in Florence and entered the collection of the South Kensington Museum in 1882.

Historical significance: The strikingly naturalistic rendering of the unidentified sitter's features have led Eric Maclagan to propose that this portrait was moulded directly from a death mask. Maclagan notes that the practice of using death-masks for the production of sculpted portraits 'became a popular fashion in Florence in the second half of the fifteenth century' (1923, p. 304). The man's sunken cheeks and lips, barely opened eyes, and lack of expression lend this portrait a particularly morbid feeling, fitted to the funerary function it may have had. There is a female companion in the Louvre (inv. no. 592, formerly in the Courajod collection), and the two might have been made for a sepulchral monument. As John Pope-Hennessy remarks, these may have been displayed high above ground, as suggests the angle of the heads (Pope-Hennessy, 1964, p. 345).

The period of the Renaissance saw a growing interest in the individual. Consequently, the genre of portraiture developed considerably, in small objects such as medals as well as in life-size sculptures. Such portraits were instrumental in signalling the fame and status of important individuals and their families.
A fascination for the Antique led Renaissance artists to look back at the production of the artists of the classical past. Among the Roman practices revived by Renaissance artists was the use of death-masks to create funeral effigies.

Portraiture developed considerably during the Renaissance, in small objects such as medals as well as in life-size sculptures. Such portraits were instrumental in signalling the fame and status of important individuals and their families.
A fascination for the Antique led Renaissance artists to look back at the production of the artists of the classical past. Among the Roman practices revived by Renaissance artists was the use of death-masks to create funeral effigies.
Likewise, this portrait terracotta relief and its female companion (now in the Louvre) were probably modelled from a death mask to form part of a tomb. It is made the second half of the 15th century in Italy possibly in the Emilia Romagna.

66-1882