DOI issue:
Faculty of archeology, history and letters
DOI article:Strong, Eugénie: A bronze plaque in the Rosenheim collection
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70028#0244
224
The British School at Rome.
the great philosopher himself. Or should this appear too bold a con-
jecture, it may at least be surmised that an artist of the later Quattrocento
took one of these learned Greeks as his model for the portrait of the
illustrious philosopher, whose writings had so profoundly influenced
medieval thought. It will be seen that the questions raised by the
‘ Aristotle ' are not easy of solution. But the interest that now attaches
to the replica in the Collegio Inglese will serve to make the whole series
better known and perhaps also to bring to light the ‘ Plato ’ if that com-
panion plaque really ever existed.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. Ashby for allowing me to publish
what in the first instance was his discovery.
By the courtesy of the ‘ Direzione ’ of the Museo Correr in Venice,
I receive—though unfortunately too late for insertion in the body of the
article—a photograph of their version of the Aristotle (Fig. 3). It now
appears that the Correr example is not, as was generally supposed, a
replica of the plaquette with inscription as above, but a large medal
measuring 8’1 cm. in diameter. The photograph shows it slightly
enlarged. This medal presents variations from the plaquette in the
treatment of hair and beard which here are lank and straight, in the
shape of the head and line of profile, in the disappearance of the hood,1
but the derivation is clearly from the same original. Inscribed
APISTOTEAHS.
According to Mr. G. F. Hill, who sends me the information, the
British Museum also possesses a version of the medal (one-sided, of lead
or pewter, diam. 104 mm.) in which the character of the cap is mis-
understood (it is made taller, with regular ribbing, and has no turnover
or tassel at the apex). The inscription is in Latin—ARIS TOTELES-
This version is evidently very late.
1 In the me.dals from the British Museum, likewise, the hood which appears in the
silver medalet (above, Fig. 2 b) is reduced in the bronze medal (Fig. 2 a) to a border (that
of the hood), treated so as to resemble a straight collar.
The British School at Rome.
the great philosopher himself. Or should this appear too bold a con-
jecture, it may at least be surmised that an artist of the later Quattrocento
took one of these learned Greeks as his model for the portrait of the
illustrious philosopher, whose writings had so profoundly influenced
medieval thought. It will be seen that the questions raised by the
‘ Aristotle ' are not easy of solution. But the interest that now attaches
to the replica in the Collegio Inglese will serve to make the whole series
better known and perhaps also to bring to light the ‘ Plato ’ if that com-
panion plaque really ever existed.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. Ashby for allowing me to publish
what in the first instance was his discovery.
By the courtesy of the ‘ Direzione ’ of the Museo Correr in Venice,
I receive—though unfortunately too late for insertion in the body of the
article—a photograph of their version of the Aristotle (Fig. 3). It now
appears that the Correr example is not, as was generally supposed, a
replica of the plaquette with inscription as above, but a large medal
measuring 8’1 cm. in diameter. The photograph shows it slightly
enlarged. This medal presents variations from the plaquette in the
treatment of hair and beard which here are lank and straight, in the
shape of the head and line of profile, in the disappearance of the hood,1
but the derivation is clearly from the same original. Inscribed
APISTOTEAHS.
According to Mr. G. F. Hill, who sends me the information, the
British Museum also possesses a version of the medal (one-sided, of lead
or pewter, diam. 104 mm.) in which the character of the cap is mis-
understood (it is made taller, with regular ribbing, and has no turnover
or tassel at the apex). The inscription is in Latin—ARIS TOTELES-
This version is evidently very late.
1 In the me.dals from the British Museum, likewise, the hood which appears in the
silver medalet (above, Fig. 2 b) is reduced in the bronze medal (Fig. 2 a) to a border (that
of the hood), treated so as to resemble a straight collar.