A Nymph on a Dolphin

Francesco Marti

Associated Names
Francesco Marti

Sculptor, Lucchese, active 1489/1516

The sculpture depicts a human figure with long, flowing hair and a bare torso. The figure sits on top of a sea creature resembling a fish or serpent with a stylized face and curled tail. This is presented in a circular relief format, possibly a medallion or plaque. The artwork appears to be made of bronze based on its brown and metallic sheen. The intricate detailing shows water movement, the creature, and the human figure's curves. Below the scene, the initials "F NAR" are inscribed, potentially the artist's signature. The relief backdrop adds depth and dynamics to the foreground figures.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze//Light brownpatina

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 4.5 cm (1 3/4 in.) gross weight: 47 gr

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.572


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2004

  • Matteo Civitali e il suo Tempo: Pittori, scultori e orafi a Lucca nel tardo Quattrocento, Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi, Lucca, 2004, no. 5.15, repro.

Bibliography

1931

  • Ricci, Seymour de. The Gustave Dreyfus Collection. Reliefs and Plaquettes. Oxford, 1931. vol.II, 438.

1965

  • Pope-Hennessy, John W. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection: Reliefs, Plaquettes, Statuettes, Utensils and Mortars. London, 1965: no. 77.

1983

  • Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 28, no. 1.

Inscriptions

lower left in exergue: .F.MAR.

Wikidata ID

Q63814984

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