A River God
- Object:
- Place of origin:
- Date:
first half of 16th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Tribolo, Niccolò, born 1500 - died 1550 (after, possibly, maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Polychrome enamelled terracotta relief
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Image unavailable
This oval relief showing a River-God, is possibly made after Tribolo, in Florence, in the first half of the 16th century.
It was brought from a garden near Florence, where it served as a garden-jet - the mouth of the urn open for water.
It is probable that this relief depends from a clay model of a River-God (Accademia, Florence) made by Michelangelo for the tomb of Lorenzo de'Medici or it depends from the River-God by Tribolo in the Villa Corsini at Castello.
Physical description
Oval relief showing a bearded figure, which is enamelled in white with blue-grey mottling, is shown reclining facing the to the right on a blue ground. Both feet rest on the surface of the relief, and the knees are thrust forward; between them is a yellow jar in the left foreground of the relief, and his left hand is bent over his left shoulder. The cloak, which is shown between the two jars and is treaded through the left arm, is yellow. The moulded frame is white with blue-grey mottling.
Place of Origin
Florence, Italy (made)
Date
first half of 16th century (made)
Artist/maker
Tribolo, Niccolò, born 1500 - died 1550 (after, possibly, maker)
Materials and Techniques
Polychrome enamelled terracotta relief
Dimensions
Height: 38.7 cm, Width: 48.3 cm
Object history note
Purchased in London and brought from a garden near Florence, where it served as a garden-jet - the mouth of the urn open for water.
It is probable that this relief depends from a clay model of a River-God (Accademia, Florence) made by Michelangelo for the tomb of Lorenzo de'Medici. A further point of reference is supplied by the River-God of Tribolo in the Villa Corsini at Castello.
Descriptive line
Medallion, a River-God, enamelled terracotta, possibly after Tribolo, Florence, first half of 16th century
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1860. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p.
Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 78
Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume II: Text. Sixteenth to Twentieth Century. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, pp. 439,40
Materials
Terracotta
Techniques
Enamelling; Relief
Subjects depicted
Urn; Cornucopia; Jar; River God
Categories
Sculpture; Myths & Legends; Reliefs; Medallions
Collection code
SCP
