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The sculpture depicts a seated female figure with an outstretched arm and a relaxed posture. The subject's legs are elegantly crossed, and she is draped in a flowing garment that falls over her lap. The sculpture is crafted from dark bronze material, giving it a robust appearance. The surface exhibits a smooth finish with subtle variations in tone due to the play of light on the bronze. Her hair is styled in a neat, classical manner, and her facial features are finely detailed. The sculpture is presented on a small, square base supported by four spherical feet. The overall composition captures a sense of poise and grace, with the figure oriented slightly to the viewer's left.
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The sculpture depicts a seated female figure with an outstretched arm and a relaxed posture. The subject's legs are elegantly crossed, and she is draped in a flowing garment that falls over her lap. The sculpture is crafted from dark bronze material, giving it a robust appearance. The surface exhibits a smooth finish with subtle variations in tone due to the play of light on the bronze. Her hair is styled in a neat, classical manner, and her facial features are finely detailed. The sculpture is presented on a small, square base supported by four spherical feet. The overall composition captures a sense of poise and grace, with the figure oriented slightly to the viewer's left.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Seated Nymph

North Italian 16th Century

Date
early 16th century
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall: 21.6 x 13.1 x 12.6 cm (8 1/2 x 5 3/16 x 4 15/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture · Small Bronze
Accession number
1957.14.21
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • classical
  • mythology
  • Renaissance
  • North Italian
  • European Small Bronzes before 1900
  • Nymph
Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 with the entire Dreyfus collection by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris); sold 1944 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

NGA object ID 43741. 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.