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The sculpture depicts a man's bust with short hair, dressed in a draped garment featuring a shell-shaped decoration on his right shoulder. The material resembles terracotta, giving the sculpture a reddish-brown hue. The texture is smooth and detailed, with realistic folds in the clothing and defined facial features. The man's gaze is slightly to his left. The bust is placed on a simple base that complements its style and color. The presentation is highly detailed and lifelike, capturing a sense of presence and historical attire.
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The sculpture depicts a man's bust with short hair, dressed in a draped garment featuring a shell-shaped decoration on his right shoulder. The material resembles terracotta, giving the sculpture a reddish-brown hue. The texture is smooth and detailed, with realistic folds in the clothing and defined facial features. The man's gaze is slightly to his left. The bust is placed on a simple base that complements its style and color. The presentation is highly detailed and lifelike, capturing a sense of presence and historical attire.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Gentleman of the Zorzi Family

Alessandro Vittoria

Date
1570/1580
Medium
terracotta
Dimensions
overall: 90.2 x 61.6 x 32.3 cm (35 1/2 x 24 1/4 x 12 11/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture · Bust
Accession number
1961.9.106
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1551 to 1600
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • male
  • portrait
  • Venetian
  • European Sculpture 1300-1800
  • Renaissance
  • Zorzi Family
Provenance

Palazzo Carregiani (formerly Zorzi), Ponte dei Greci, Rio di San Lorenzo, Venice. Art Market. Acquired 1865 by the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, Vienna (inv. no. 2407);[1] Acquired by Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (inv. no. 9906) in February 1940; Acquired 1954 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[2] gift 1961 to NGA.[3] [1] A letter dated 21 October 1953 from Dr. Ernst H Buschbeck states that the work came to the museum directly from the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie. [2] Letter (cited in footnote 1) states that Kress bought directly from the Kunsthistorische Museum, Vienna. [3] Provenance according to Ulrich Middeldorf, _Complete Catalogue of the Samuel H. Kress Collection: European Sculptures XIV-XIX Century_, 1976, p. 76.

Inscription

on truncation of chest, proper right: .A.V.F.

NGA object ID 46205. 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.