The image shows a sculpture of a detailed relief on a circular medallion. The relief features a group of figures on a boat, including a man in armor standing at the left and a seated woman holding a flowering branch. An older man, possibly a ferryman, is shown standing and using a large oar to guide the boat. Below the boat, several smaller human figures are depicted. The sculpture is made of bronze, giving it a brown color and a metallic luster. The relief is carved with attention to detail, creating a sense of depth within the figures and depicting an elaborate scene reminiscent of a classical or mythological narrative.
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The image shows a sculpture of a detailed relief on a circular medallion. The relief features a group of figures on a boat, including a man in armor standing at the left and a seated woman holding a flowering branch. An older man, possibly a ferryman, is shown standing and using a large oar to guide the boat. Below the boat, several smaller human figures are depicted. The sculpture is made of bronze, giving it a brown color and a metallic luster. The relief is carved with attention to detail, creating a sense of depth within the figures and depicting an elaborate scene reminiscent of a classical or mythological narrative.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

Aeneas Descending to the Underworld

Master of the Orpheus Legend

Date
fourth quarter 15th century
Medium
bronze//Dark brown patina
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 5.8 cm (2 5/16 in.) gross weight: 45 gr
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.236
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD

Subjects and terms

  • Italian
  • Renaissance
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • classical
  • secular
  • Virgil
  • Aeneid
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.

NGA object ID 43958. 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.