The sculpture is a circular relief depicting a scene involving two subjects: a ship with visible ropes and masts positioned on the left, and a human figure sitting on the right. The person appears to be holding on to a large fish, resting one arm across its back, as they sit on what looks like a rock amidst swirling, wave-like patterns. The image is surrounded by a raised border framing the circular scene. The sculpture itself is crafted in a monochromatic material, giving it a uniform, metallic brown color that highlights the sculptural details and textures against the flat background. The overall appearance is one of high-relief detail, where the subjects stand out prominently against the background plane.
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The sculpture is a circular relief depicting a scene involving two subjects: a ship with visible ropes and masts positioned on the left, and a human figure sitting on the right. The person appears to be holding on to a large fish, resting one arm across its back, as they sit on what looks like a rock amidst swirling, wave-like patterns. The image is surrounded by a raised border framing the circular scene. The sculpture itself is crafted in a monochromatic material, giving it a uniform, metallic brown color that highlights the sculptural details and textures against the flat background. The overall appearance is one of high-relief detail, where the subjects stand out prominently against the background plane.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

Arion Rescued by the Dolphin

Attributed to Moderno

Date
late 15th - early 16th century
Medium
bronze//Medium brown patina
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 10.66 cm (4 3/16 in.) gross weight: 175.4 gr (0.387 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.329
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD

Subjects and terms

  • Renaissance
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • Veronese
  • classical
  • secular
  • Mantuan
  • Dolphin
  • Arion
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 formerly bore faint trace of previous catalogue number 206 in thin white paint (associated design in Molinier 1886), canceled with line of red paint, as well as 161 in red paint (Dreyfus) and 205 in yellow paint (Ricci 1931); numerals removed in 1982 cleaning.

NGA object ID 44053. 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.