Siena: The Art of Bronze 1450-1500

That is the title of an exhibition at the Frick Collection that I wish I could see. It opened in New York less than two weeks ago and will run until January 18, 2027.

The curator for this major show is Giulio Dalvit.

As I have probably said many times before, I have always loved the Frick. It is one robber baron’s view of European art of yore, with his collection now marvelously reinstalled in his New York mansion after a major renovation overseen by the former Director Ian Wardropper.

One room that I have always made sure to visit is a kunstkammer of Limoges enamels and small Renaissance bronzes. Larger bronze sculptures have always been installed throughout the museum. Now the Frick is presenting an exhibition that focuses on a period when the art of bronze blossomed in one Italian City with several masters of the medium. When we think of bronze, we think first of Florence. Donatello, one of the most famous masters of the period, was born in Florence but spent a number of periods of his life working in Siena.

As if the Frick itself did not have a great collection of sculpture of the period, they were able to perform a miracle by getting loans from museums such as the Bargello in Florence, the Capodimonte in Naples, the National Gallery in Umbria, as well as others.

Bronze was not just used for sculpture but also for decorative and household objects, not to mention weapons for the battlefield and equestrian equipment.

Among various types of bronze art were medals made to celebrate famous individuals and used as diplomatic gifts. It was a portable form of propaganda art, easier to transport than a marble bust! Here is one lent by the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, made by Francesco di Giorgio (1439-1501) with a portrait of Frederick of Aragon, only 5.6 cm in diameter. The verso depicts a Unicorn dipping its horn into a stream, cleansing the water so that the animals could drink safely. Used as Fredrick’s device, it was a political statement for justice, purification, and benevolent rule. It cast him as a ruler who would cleanse his domain of corruption. I think we could use that here and now!

Of a much larger scale is a Flagpole-Torchère and Horse ring attributed to Giacomo Cozzarelli (1453-1515), a meter high. This may have appeared on the exterior of an otherwise austere palace as decoration that could hold the reins of a horse, serving as a symbol of wealth, as well as an appreciation of fine craftsmanship. It comes from an unfamiliar lender, the Superintendency of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Siena, Grosseto and Arezzo.

One object we are all familiar with is a church bell. This one by Giovanni di Tofano (ca. 1390 to ca. 1471) from the Chiesa dei Santi Costanzo e Martina, Torrita di Siena, Diocesi di Montepulciano-Chiusi-Pienza. With a width at its mouth of 110 cm, I am sure it would have been heard far and wide. At that time, of course, there were no electronic sounds to compete with. 

A favorite of mine since I was allowed into the Frick at the age of ten is their Vecchietta (1410-1480) relief of the Resurrection of Christ. A Latin inscription on the sepulcher reads: "The work of the painter Lorenzo di Pietro, known as Il Vecchietta, from Siena in the year 1472". This explains the painterly quality of the relief, with its great detail from the sleeping guards in the foreground to a swarm of winged angels in the clouds.

This Hercules Fighting Achelous by Giovanni de Stefano (1443-1502) and his collaborator is from the Skupturencsammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden. When I saw the photograph in the Frick Press Release, I thought it was a small bronze, but it is actually 113.5 cm tall. The male nude figure effectively represents the Italian Renaissance ideal of virility.

I cannot close without illustrating the work of the biggest name in Renaissance sculpture, Donatello (ca. 1386 – 1466). Here is his Tomb Slab of Giovanni di Bartolomeo Pecci, Bishop of Grosseto, and Istia d’Ombrone from the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Siena, one of only eight signed works by the artist. A slab of this type could be laid on top of a grave or flat on the ground of the church where the body has been buried, as it was in this case, meant to lie before the Cathedral’s main altar.

As you have often heard, a photograph, no matter how good, is never a substitute for the original. This is especially true for sculpture, since a photo cannot convey the size, texture, or subtle molding of the object, so if you can possibly make it, do go to see this important exhibition in person.