Florence Seated under a Laurel Tree [reverse]

c. 1490

Niccolò Fiorentino

Associated Names
Niccolò Fiorentino

Artist, Florentine, 1430 - 1514

The sculpture is a bas-relief bronze medallion showing a seated figure with long hair, presumed to be female, holding a plant or flower. The figure is under a tree with branches extending outwards. The bronze gives it a brownish-gold color with detailed textures on the figure's hair, clothing, and the tree's leaves. The small, round piece resembles a coin or medallion, with inscriptions partially visible at the edges. The craftsmanship emphasizes intricate details, focusing on the serene natural scene.

Media Options

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On View

West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G16

Artwork overview

Associated Artworks

The sculpture is a detailed relief of a profile portrait. The man depicted has shoulder-length hair and is wearing a garment. His head is turned slightly to the right, and his facial features are defined. The relief is circular and made of bronze, with a warm patina highlighting the design. Engraved text surrounds the portrait. The surface has an uneven texture, giving it an aged appearance. A small hole at the top suggests the piece may have been mounted or worn.

Lorenzo de' Medici, il Magnifico, 1449-1492 [obverse]

Niccolò Fiorentino

1490

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Spink & Son Ltd., London); sold January 1981 to E.R.A. Unger, Richmond, England; (sale, Glendining's, London, 10 June 1987, no. 290); purchased through (Cyril Humphris, Ltd., London) by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2000

  • The Power of Appearances: Renaissance and Reformation Portrait Prints, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, 2000, no cat.

Bibliography

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 291, repro.

Inscriptions

around circumference: . TVTELA . . PATRIE . FLOR / ENTIA

Wikidata ID

Q63860988

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