Neptune thumbnail 1
Neptune thumbnail 2
+8
images
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Neptune

Statuette
ca. 1560 (made)
Artist/Maker
Danti, Vincenzo (possibly)
Place of origin
Florence

Roman gods and goddesses were popular subjects for sculpture, as they could be shown nude. Their elongated yet muscular bodies demonstrate the elegance of the Mannerist style. Their poses highlight the interest in complicated compositions shared by both artists and patrons. This statuette depicts Neptune, the God of water and the sea in Roman mythology.

Object details

Categories
Bronze
Sculpture
Myths & Legends
Object type
Statuette
TitleNeptune (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Cast bronze
Bronze
Casting
Brief description
Statuette, bronze, Neptune, possibly by Vincenzo Danti, possibly Florence, ca. 1560
Physical description
Neptune strides forward on his left foot, his body twisted to the left, looking over his right shoulder. His right arm is raised, his left dropped behind his back. Between his feet is a sea-horse on a huge shell. The narrow base represents waves.
Dimensions
  • Height: 49.4cm
  • Width: 22.1cm
  • Depth: 20.3cm
  • Weight: 10.48kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Production
Author still unclear, was and is also ascribed to Alessandro Vittoria
Subjects depicted
Sea-Horse
Shell
Neptune
Summary
Roman gods and goddesses were popular subjects for sculpture, as they could be shown nude. Their elongated yet muscular bodies demonstrate the elegance of the Mannerist style. Their poses highlight the interest in complicated compositions shared by both artists and patrons. This statuette depicts Neptune, the God of water and the sea in Roman mythology.
Bibliographic references
  • Penny, Nicholas. Catalogue of European Sculpture in the Ashmolean Museum. 1540 to the Present-Day, Vol I: Italian, Oxford, 1992, p. 247
  • Binnebeke, Emile von. Bronze Sculpture: Sculpture from 1500-1800 in the Collection of the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, 1994, pp. 78-79, cat. no. 16
  • Mariacher, Giovanni. Storia dell' Arte in Italia, La Scultura del Cinquecento, Turin, 1987, p. 187
  • 'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 6
  • Krahn, Volker (ed.), Von allen Seiten schön : Bronzen der Renaissance und des Barock : Wilhelm von Bode zum 150, Heidelberg : Edition Braus, 1995, p. 82
  • Catalogue of the Italian art loan exhibition : held in the Corporation Galleries, Glasgow, 1882-83, Glasgow : Robert Anderson, 1882 467
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.99-1910

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Record createdJune 29, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O136693/neptune-statuette-danti-vincenzo/
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