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The sculpture depicts a bust of a man with a solemn expression, elongated facial features, and a prominent, high forehead. His hair is styled in a short, simple manner and frames his head closely. He is clad in a cloak-like garment that drapes over his shoulders, displaying a series of vertical folds. The sculpture is rendered in a dark brown hue, suggestive of wood or perhaps a bitumen-stained terracotta material, with a patina that indicates age and texture. The bust is presented from the chest up, without arms, and appears life-sized to the viewer.
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The sculpture depicts a bust of a man with a solemn expression, elongated facial features, and a prominent, high forehead. His hair is styled in a short, simple manner and frames his head closely. He is clad in a cloak-like garment that drapes over his shoulders, displaying a series of vertical folds. The sculpture is rendered in a dark brown hue, suggestive of wood or perhaps a bitumen-stained terracotta material, with a patina that indicates age and texture. The bust is presented from the chest up, without arms, and appears life-sized to the viewer.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

An Old Man

Florentine 15th Century

Date
second half 15th century
Medium
painted terracotta
Dimensions
overall: 58.7 x 54.3 cm (23 1/8 x 21 3/8 in.)
Classification
Sculpture · Bust
Accession number
1952.13.1
Credit line
Given by the children of Mr. and Mrs. Otto B. Kahn in memory of their parents
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • Florentine
  • Anonymous
  • male
  • portrait
  • European Sculpture 1300-1800
  • Renaissance
Provenance

(Jacques Seligmann & Co., New York); sold 4 February 1907 to Otto Kahn [1867-1934] and his wife, Addie Wolff Kahn [d. 1949];[1] their children; gift 1952 to NGA. [1] See letter dated 18 December 1952 from Gilbert W. Kahn, in NGA curatorial files.

NGA object ID 42386. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.