Three-Masted Ship, without Sails, in a Stormy Sea [reverse]

c. 1550

Italian 16th Century

Associated Names
Italian 16th Century

Artist

The sculpture is a relief depicting a ship caught in a turbulent sea. The ship appears detailed with visible sails and a prominent hull, being tossed amid waves. This piece is rendered in a brown hue typical of bronze. The relief is rectangular with an inscription surrounding the ship. The scene conveyed is dynamic, with the waves and the ship's movement evoking a sense of struggle against the elements. The sculpture is small and viewed at close range, creating an impression of a significant event frozen in time.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (rectangular, maximum height and width): 6.11 × 5.75 cm (2 3/8 × 2 1/4 in.)
    axis: 9:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.1093.b

Associated Artworks

The sculpture is a relief portrait of a woman with a serene expression, depicted in a square format. The woman's head is adorned with neatly styled hair, possibly secured with a cloth or bonnet. Her attire is detailed with folds suggesting a draped garment. The color of the sculpture is a dark bronze or brown, indicating it could be made of a metal, likely bronze. The surface has a slightly aged patina, enhancing the texture of the three-dimensional relief. Inscriptions at the top include the words "RANGONA" and "ROVORELLA," while the name "BEATRIX" appears on the side. The sculpture emphasizes the features of the subject with its high relief and careful detailing in the face and clothing.

Beatrice Roverella, c. 1510-1575, Wife of Paolo Manfroni and Ercole Rangone [obverse]

Italian 16th Century

1550

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his heirs; purchased with the entire Dreyfus collection 9 July 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris); sold 31 January 1944 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[1] gift 1957 to NGA.
[1] The Duveen Brothers Records document the firm’s sixteen year pursuit and eventual acquisition of the Dreyfus collection, which included paintings, sculptures, small bronzes, medals, and plaquettes. Bequeathed as part of his estate to Dreyfus’ widow and five children (a son and four daughters), who had differing opinions about its disposition, the collection was not sold until after his widow’s death in April 1929. Duveen did not wish to separate Dreyfus’ collection of small bronzes, medals, and plaquettes, and it was sold intact to the Kress Foundation for a price that was met by installment payments every three months. (Duveen Brothers Records, accession number 960015, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles: reel 301, box 446, folders 3 and 4; reel 302, box 447, folders 1-6; reel 303, box 448, folders 1 and 2; reel 330, box 475, folder 4.) See also George Francis Hill’s discussion "A Note on Pedigrees" in his catalogue, The Gustave Dreyfus Collection: Renaissance Medals, Oxford, 1931: xii, which was commissioned by Duveen Brothers.

Associated Names

Bibliography

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 576, repro.

Inscriptions

vertical along top edge: FIDE ET PIETATE EGREDIAR

Wikidata ID

Q63851201

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