Virgin and Child
Sculptures
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Putto with a Dolphin
| Artist | |
|---|---|
| Culture | Italian |
| Date | second half of the 15th century |
| Object type | sculpture |
| Medium, technique | bronze with dark patina |
| Dimensions | 54.5 × 25 × 24 cm, 8.5 kg |
| Inventory number | 5308 |
| Collection | Sculptures |
| On view | Museum of Fine Arts, Second Floor, European Sculpture 1350-1800, Gallery 1 |
Andrea del Verrocchio (1435–88) was commissioned by Lorenzo de’ Medici (1449–92) to create a fountain decorated with a sculpture of a putto holding a dolphin, for the courtyard of the Villa Careggi near Florence. Now this putto is housed in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The composition of the sculpture inspired by antique works of art was lively and planned fully in the round, which was quite unique at that time. As the details on the Budapest bronze are less finely modelled, it may have been cast by Francesco di Simone Ferrucci. He was working for Verrocchio’s workshop, and putto compositions similar to the sculpture in Budapest can be found among his drawings.
References
Petrovics, Elek – Meller, Simon, Ferenczy István bronzgyűjteményének kiállítása, Országos Magyar Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 1917, p. 15.
Balogh, Jolán, Katalog der ausländischen Bildwerke des Museums der bildenden Künste in Budapest, IV – XVIII. Jahrhundert: 1. Textband Bd. 1, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1975, p. 72-73., no. 68.
Pope-Henessy, John, “Italian sculpture – Budapest and Paris”, Apollo 102.161-166 (1975), p. 474-475.
Dal Poggetto, Maria Grazia Ciardi Dupré, “Recensione – Jolán Balogh, Katalog der ausländischen Bildwerke der Museums der bildenden Künste in Budapest. IV-XVIII Jahrhundert Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1975 Vols. 2: I, Textband; II, Bildband.”, Prospettiva 8-11 (1977), p. 63-67.
Szmodisné Eszláry, Éva, A Régi Szoborgyűjtemény kincsei, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 1994, p. 20, ill. 12.
Szmodisné Eszláry, Éva, The treasures of the Old Sculpture collection, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 1994, p. 20.
Verrocchio Krisztusa/Verrocchio’s Christ, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 2003, p. 62-63, no. 7.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
Further artworks from this collection