Design for a triumphal arch in honour of Pope Clement VII
Drawing
16th century (made)
16th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pen and ink drawing on paper
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Design for a triumphal arch in honour of Pope Clement VII (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink on paper |
| Brief description | Drawing, Design for a triumphal arch in honour of Pope Clement VII, attributed to Baccio Bandinelli, Florentine School, pen and ink, 16th century |
| Physical description | Pen and ink drawing on paper |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | Inscribed within the tablet above the arch 'CLEMENS.VII.PONTIF.MAXIM' and with two illegible notes by the artist within the arch and the left-hand niche |
| Object history | PROVENANCE Sir Peter Lely (Lugt 2092); P. H. Lankrink (Lugt 2090); Thomas Hudson (Lugt 2432); Charles Rogers (Lugt 624); Sir Thomas Lawrence (Lugt 2445); Samuel Woodburn (sale, Christie, 4-8 June 1860, unidentified lot; bought for the Museum) |
| Bibliographic reference | Ward-Jackson, Peter, Italian Drawings. Volume I. 14th-16th century, London, 1979, cat. 32, p. 34
The following is the full text of the entry:
BANDINELLI, BACCIO
Bartolommeo Bandinelli
(1493-1560)
32
Design for a triumphal arch in honour of Pope Clement VII (1523-34)
Inscribed within the tablet above the arch 'CLEMENS.VII.PONTIF.MAXIM' and with two illegible notes by the artist within the arch and the left-hand niche
Pen and ink
21 5/8 x 14 5/8 (550 x 371) 2257
PROVENANCE Sir Peter Lely (Lugt 2092); P. H. Lankrink (Lugt 2090); Thomas Hudson (Lugt 2432); Charles Rogers (Lugt 624); Sir Thomas Lawrence (Lugt 2445); Samuel Woodburn (sale, Christie, 4-8 June 1860, unidentified lot; bought for the Museum)
The arch bears some resemblance to the tombs of Leo X and Clement VII in Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, designed and carried out by Bandinelli in the form of two triumphal arches. But the two arched niches in the drawing are occupied (on the left) by Jupiter, holding a ball and lightning, with the eagle at his feet, and (on the right) by Mercury, wearing a winged helmet and holding the caduceus. This arch was, therefore, intended for a secular festivity.
It may have been connected with the celebrations that followed the coronation of Clement VII, Bandinelli having been commissioned by the Pope to make 'statue e storie di mezzo rilievo' for the occasion, according to Vasari. The bas-relief inside the archway shows the pope enthroned and an indistinct figure kneeling at his feet. The subjects of the six reliefs on the front of the arch are not clear. Triumphal arches of this type were erected along the route followed by the newly crowned popes when they went in procession from the Vatican to take possession of the Lateran church. These ceremonies were known shortly as possessi and some of them are described at length in Francesco Cancellieri, Storia de' solemni possessi de' sommi pontefici, Rome, 1802. One of the most splendid possessi was that of Leo X, described by Cancellieri, loc. cit., pp. 60-84. Some of the triumphal arches erected on that occasion are described in detail in J. J. Penin, Croniche delle magnifiche, et onorate pompe fatte ... per la Creazione, et incoronazione di P. Leone, Rome, 1513, a work much quoted by Cancellieri. The arches there described were like the one shown in the drawing. No full contemporary account exists of Clement VII's possesso (see Cancellieri, loc. cit., pp. 88-90). |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 2257 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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