Italy / early to mid-1500s
Bust of a Classical Hero or Emperor
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Bust of a Classical Hero or Emperor as sculpture (Italy · early to mid-1500s).
Head-and-shoulders portraits, known as busts, were popular from Roman times.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as glazed terracotta and credits Girolamo della Robbia (Italian, 1488–1566).
The museum's collection notes: This bust most likely represents an emperor or condottiere from classical antiquity, and probably formed part of a series of classical heads. Such groups of worthies were featured as decorative schemes in the studioli and architectural projects of Renaissance statesmen. Attesting to the sophistication of their learned patrons, these busts also provided the opportunity for artists to explore the contemporary stylistic relevance of classical portraiture—a source of fascination and inspiration for Florentine sculptors of this period.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtBust of a Classical Hero or EmperorOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.