ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
The sculpture is an oval medallion featuring a raised relief of a profile portrait of a person facing left. The subject has classical features and is depicted with a laurel wreath tied at the back of their head. The attire suggests draped fabric. The sculpture is made from a metallic material, likely bronze, with a brownish color and signs of patina. It has a small hole at the top, possibly for suspension. The detailed hair and facial features provide a realistic and dignified portrayal.
Read the visual description

The sculpture is an oval medallion featuring a raised relief of a profile portrait of a person facing left. The subject has classical features and is depicted with a laurel wreath tied at the back of their head. The attire suggests draped fabric. The sculpture is made from a metallic material, likely bronze, with a brownish color and signs of patina. It has a small hole at the top, possibly for suspension. The detailed hair and facial features provide a realistic and dignified portrayal.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Roman Emperor

Italian 15th or 16th Century, after the Antique

Date
15th or 16th century
Medium
bronze//Medium brown patina
Dimensions
overall (oval): 4.47 x 3.47 cm (1 3/4 x 1 3/8 in.) gross weight: 26.17 gr (0.058 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.177
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1300 to 1400
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Italian
  • Renaissance
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • Emperor
  • Roman
  • bust facing right
  • portrait
Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

Marks

Reverse bears former inventory number 441 in black ink (unidentified collection).

NGA object ID 43897. 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.