This is a superbly illustrated Catalogue of the collection of sculpture in the Ashmolean Museum which is, after that of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the largest and most important in Great Britain. The collection is particularly strong in Italian bronzes and in the work of the New Sculptors (the former from the Fortnum Collection, the latter from the Brocklebank bequest). In addition it possesses the famous ivory Venus and Cupid by Petel, the extraordinary bronze Venus formerly attributed to Hans Mont, the baroque marble bust of Christopher Wren signed by Pierce, a boxwood Saint Sebastian in the style of Bustelli, and the Ugolino by Pierino da Vinci--probably the finest preserved Renaissance relief in wax. The Catalogue, which is divided into three volumes, also includes some ceramics, metalwork, and furniture. It is fully illustrated, including some comparative plates, and contains unusually full discussions of condition and technique.

This is a superbly illustrated Catalogue of the collection of sculpture in the Ashmolean Museum which is, after that of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the largest and most important in Great Britain. The collection is particularly strong in Italian bronzes and in the work of the New Sculptors (the former from the Fortnum Collection, the latter from the Brocklebank bequest). In addition it possesses the famous ivory Venus and Cupid by Petel, the extraordinary bronze Venus formerly attributed to Hans Mont, the baroque marble bust of Christopher Wren signed by Pierce, a boxwood Saint Sebastian in the style of Bustelli, and the Ugolino by Pierino da Vinci--probably the finest preserved Renaissance relief in wax. The Catalogue, which is divided into three volumes, also includes some ceramics, metalwork, and furniture. It is fully illustrated, including some comparative plates, and contains unusually full discussions of condition and technique.

Surveying the sculpture of many civilizations from ancient Egypt to 20th-century North America, this book provides a basic introduction to the nature of materials used by sculptors, examining how these were regarded as well as how they were worked in different periods and in different cultures.

This is a superbly illustrated Catalogue of the collection of sculpture in the Ashmolean Museum which is, after that of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the largest and most important in Great Britain. The collection is particularly strong in Italian bronzes and in the work of the New Sculptors (the former from the Fortnum Collection, the latter from the Brocklebank bequest). In addition it possesses the famous ivory Venus and Cupid by Petel, the extraordinary bronze Venus formerly attributed to Hans Mont, the baroque marble bust of Christopher Wren signed by Pierce, a boxwood Saint Sebastian in the style of Bustelli, and the Ugolino by Pierino da Vinci--probably the finest preserved Renaissance relief in wax. The Catalogue, which is divided into three volumes, also includes some ceramics, metalwork, and furniture. It is fully illustrated, including some comparative plates, and contains unusually full discussions of condition and technique.

he revival of the bronze statuette popular in classical antiquity stands out as an enduring achievement of the Italian Renaissance. These small sculptures attest to early modern artists' technical prowess, ingenuity, and desire to emulate—or even surpass—the ancients. From the studioli, or private studies, of humanist scholars in fifteenth-century Padua to the Fifth Avenue apartments of Gilded Age collectors, viewers have delighted in the mysteries of these objects: how they were made, what they depicted, who made them, and when. This catalogue is the first systematic study of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection of Italian bronzes. The collection includes statuettes of single mythological or religious figures, complex figural groups, portrait busts, reliefs, utilitarian objects like lamps and inkwells, and more. Stunning new photography of celebrated masterpieces by leading artists such as Antico, Riccio, and Giambologna; enigmatic bronzes that continue to perplex; quotidian objects; later casts; replicas; and even forgeries show the importance of each work in this complex field. International scholars provide in-depth discussions of 200 objects included in this volume, revealing new attributions and dating for many bronzes. An Appendix presents some 100 more complete with provenance and references. An essay by Jeffrey Fraiman provides further insight into Italian bronze statuettes in America with a focus on the history of The Met's collection, and Richard E. Stone, who pioneered the technical study of bronzes, contributes an indispensable text on how artists created these works and what their process conveys about the object's maker. A personal reminiscence by James David Draper, who oversaw the Italian sculpture collection for decades, rounds out this landmark catalogue that synthesizes decades of research on these beloved and complex works of art.