Apollo and Daphne

Master of the Orpheus Legend

Associated Names
Master of the Orpheus Legend

Artist, Italian, active fourth quarter 15th century

The sculpture depicts two human figures engaged in a dynamic scene. One figure appears to be leaping forward, while the other seems to be transforming, with branches emerging from their outstretched arms. Both figures are surrounded by detailed elements like foliage and architectural features in the background. The sculpture is crafted from a bronze material, giving it a metallic, brownish color with a slightly aged patina. It is a circular medallion or relief sculpture, with intricate details that make the figures appear lively and animated despite the static nature of the medium. The composition creates the illusion of movement and interaction between the figures, emphasizing action within the boundaries of the circular form.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze//Dark brown patina

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 5.4 cm (2 1/8 in.) gross weight: 41 gr

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.229

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

1989

  • Image and Word, Elizabeth Myers Mitchell Art Gallery, St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland, 1989, no. 24.

Bibliography

1931

  • Ricci, Seymour de. The Gustave Dreyfus Collection. Reliefs and Plaquettes. Oxford, 1931. vol. II, 76, no. 105, pl. 32.

1951

  • National Gallery of Art. Renaissance Bronzes: Statuettes, Reliefs and Plaquettes, Medals and Coins from the Kress Collection. Introduction by Perry B. Cott. Washington, 1951: 148.

1965

  • Pope-Hennessy, John W. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection: Reliefs, Plaquettes, Statuettes, Utensils and Mortars. London, 1965: 88, no. 309, fig. 280, as Milanese, close to Caradosso.

2011

  • Rossi, Francesco. La collezione Mario Scaglia: placchette. 3 vols. Bergamo, 2011: 1:154, under Prototipo, M.3, as by the Master of the Cartouches (?).

Wikidata ID

Q63815047

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