Portrait of a man thumbnail 1
Portrait of a man thumbnail 2
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On display

Portrait of a man

Bust
1460-1480 (sculpted), ca. 1867 (cast)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The identity of the original terracotta bust of a young man wearing an elaborate breastplate is unknown. That bust has been painted to resemble bronze, and may have been the model for a bronze which has since been lost. Its unusual bulbous base perhaps indicates it was originally intended for a specific setting, possibly a tomb. Antonio Pollaiulo, along with his brother Piero, was active as a painter, engraver and sculptor in 15th-century Florence. The cast was made by the London-based Italian firm, Franchi and Son.

Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePortrait of a man (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Plaster Cast painted
Brief description
Plaster Cast, painted plaster, of the bust of a man, after the pigmented terracotta original in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello), Florence, attributed to Antonio Pollaiolo, ca. 1460-1480, cast by Giovanni Franchi and Son, London, ca. 1867
Dimensions
  • Height: 50cm
  • Width: 30.5cm
Gallery label
(2014)
The unknown young man is depicted wearing an elaborate breastplate. The original terracotta bust, of which this is a cast, may have been a model for a bronze portrait. Antonio Pollaiuolo was a painter, engraver and sculptor working in 15th-century Florence. The cast was made by the London-based Italian firm Franchi and Son in the late 19th century.
Object history
Purchased from Messrs Franchi & Sons in 1867 for £1.
Historical context
The original terracotta bust is coloured to resemble bronze.
Subjects depicted
Summary
The identity of the original terracotta bust of a young man wearing an elaborate breastplate is unknown. That bust has been painted to resemble bronze, and may have been the model for a bronze which has since been lost. Its unusual bulbous base perhaps indicates it was originally intended for a specific setting, possibly a tomb. Antonio Pollaiulo, along with his brother Piero, was active as a painter, engraver and sculptor in 15th-century Florence. The cast was made by the London-based Italian firm, Franchi and Son.

Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.
Collection
Accession number
REPRO.1867-181

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Record createdJuly 12, 2000
Record URL
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