Ink-pot

Object belonging

One's own

Category

Bronze sculpture

City

Rome

Location

Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia

Specific location

Room 16

Inventory

PV 09233

Material and technique

Bronze, natural green patina, traces of black lacquer on relief background

Author

Florentine School

Dating

Mid-15th century

Dimensions

7.4 x 9.2 x 8.1 cm.

Origin

Barsanti Collectino (1934)

Image copyright

SSPSAE e per il Polo Museale della città di Roma

Short description

This globe-shaped ink-pot stands on three small spheres. The object is enhanced by a light relief depicting a young boy, walking with his hands aloft and clothed in a light tunic, belted at the waist. Three large, bearded grotesque masks alternate with youthful figures. The fact that the frieze running beneath the masks was decorated with lilies led Pollak to postulate some reference to the coat of arms of Florence. The object was attributed to a follower of Donatello and was held in the Barsanti collection until 1934, after which it moved to Palazzo Venezia, where it was classified as a Florentine work dating to the first half of the 15th century. Both Pollak and Santangelo compared this bronze to a Florentine plaque depicting the Triumph of Cupid. This ink-pot is a valuable and original work, executed by an artist of a late 15th century, who was very close to Donatello and his school.

Pietro Cannata

Bibliography

L. Pollak, Raccolta Alfredo Barsanti (Trecento-Settecento), catalogue of the collection, Bergamo 1922, p. 17, no. 6; A. Santangelo, Museo di Palazzo Venezia. Catalogo delle sculture, Rome 1954, p. 42; P. Lorenzelli - A. Veca, TRA/E. Teche, pissidi, cofani e forzieri dall'Alto Medioevo al Barocco, Bergamo 1984.