The Entombment

c. 1500

Andrea Briosco, called Riccio

Associated Names
Andrea Briosco, called Riccio

Sculptor, Paduan, 1470 - 1532

The sculpture is a relief depicting a crowded scene with multiple figures. The central figure, positioned slightly right of center, appears to be gesturing with one arm extended and the other pointing towards the center of the group. Surrounding this figure are numerous other figures, who are in various poses—some are leaning, some have their arms raised, while others are crouched or kneeling. The figures are depicted in high detail, showing textured hair and drapery. The relief is made of a dark, metallic material, likely bronze or a similar substance, exhibiting a tarnished silver color that highlights the intricate details of the figures. This object is relatively small, resembling a plaque with a single hole near the top center, suggesting it might be hung on display. The overall composition suggests a narrative or an event, given the dynamic poses and interactions among the figures.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 11.29 × 14.6 cm (4 7/16 × 5 3/4 in.)
    gross weight: 669.8 gr (1.477 lb.)

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.250


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

Bibliography

1931

  • Ricci, Seymour de. The Gustave Dreyfus Collection. Reliefs and Plaquettes. Oxford, 1931. vol.II, 126.

1965

  • Pope-Hennessy, John W. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection: Reliefs, Plaquettes, Statuettes, Utensils and Mortars. London, 1965: no. 206.

1989

  • Sturman, Shelley and Berrie, Barbara. "Technical Examination of Riccio Plaquettes." Studies in the History of Art 22 (1989):178-179, 186-188, repro.

2013

  • Leino, Marika. Fashion, Devotion and Contemplation: The Status and Functions of Italian Renaissance Plaquettes. Oxford, 2013: 177-178, fig. 109, n. 43.

Inscriptions

center reverse, approximately 1.8 cm from bottom edge and 2.5 cm high, cast in very sharp relief: R

Markings

Reverse bears former inventory number 176 in red paint (Dreyfus), 327(?) in white paint (canceled with red paint), and earlier-style NGA accession number in red paint.

Wikidata ID

Q63814688

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