Not currently on display at the V&A

A battle of horsemen

Plaquette
second half of the 15th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Plaquettes are small plaques or reliefs made of bronze, brass, lead or precious metals. They originated in the 1440ies with the desire to reproduce coins and hardstone engravings from ancient Greece and Rome. Some were made as collector's pieces, to be viewed and displayed in private, and others for practical purposes. They also inspired designs in other media, from architecture to bookbindings.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleA battle of horsemen (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Lead
Brief description
Plaquette, lead, a battle of horsemen, in the style of Bertoldo, Italy (Florence), second half of the 15th century
Physical description
Plaquette depicts a confused battle of warriors on horseback with lances and banners; on the ground are two fallen horses and a dismounted man.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6.3cm
  • Width: 10.2cm
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Plaquettes are small plaques or reliefs made of bronze, brass, lead or precious metals. They originated in the 1440ies with the desire to reproduce coins and hardstone engravings from ancient Greece and Rome. Some were made as collector's pieces, to be viewed and displayed in private, and others for practical purposes. They also inspired designs in other media, from architecture to bookbindings.
Bibliographic references
  • '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. 63
  • Maclagan, Eric. Catalogue of Italian Plaquettes . London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1924, p. 19
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection. Reliefs - Plaquettes - Statuettes - Utensils and Mortars . London: 1965, pp. 103-104, no 374, fig 319
  • Draper, Janus David. Bertoldo di Giovanni - Sculptor of the Medici Household. Columbia, 1992, pp. 133-145, 216, 217, 225
Collection
Accession number
A.408-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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