DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61668#0123
EARLY PAINTED WORK 81
model. The face is in repose, but in its bony construc-
tion and the arrangement of hair and beard, it is
exactly similar, while the flattened nose which looks as
though it had been broken, suggests that it was an
atelier study from the life. The connection of the
drawing with Antonio is due to Mr. Berenson, who
however, considers it to be merely a copy. To me it
seems to have the quality of his own work. The
face is admirably modelled with his peculiar feeling
for bone, and the touch has energy and decision.
In sculpture, out of the numerous statuettes and reliefs
of the Hercules subject attributed to Antonio, but
three can be accepted as genuine. These are the small
bronze group of the Combat with Antaeus, (Plate XL)
and the two reliefs on the breastplate of the Young
Warrior, both in the Museo Nazionale, Florence.
Statuette and bust are evidently early work. The
former was in the collection of the Medici, and was
probably executed for Giuliano, for in the Inventory of
their possessions, made in 1495, it is catalogued as
being in his private apartment.* Full of force and
energy as they are, the figures are not equal either in
construction or action to those of the paintings. It is
but a rough sketch in bronze, left unchiselled as it
issued from the mould, and the details are merely
suggested, the hands and feet, the features and the
* “ Uno Erchole che scoppia Anteo, di bronzo tutto, alto br.
f. 2. Nella chamera che risponde sulla via chiamata di Monsignore
dove sta Giuliano.” Muntz, “Les Collections des Medicisau XVnie
Siecle,” Paris, 1888, p. 85.
F
model. The face is in repose, but in its bony construc-
tion and the arrangement of hair and beard, it is
exactly similar, while the flattened nose which looks as
though it had been broken, suggests that it was an
atelier study from the life. The connection of the
drawing with Antonio is due to Mr. Berenson, who
however, considers it to be merely a copy. To me it
seems to have the quality of his own work. The
face is admirably modelled with his peculiar feeling
for bone, and the touch has energy and decision.
In sculpture, out of the numerous statuettes and reliefs
of the Hercules subject attributed to Antonio, but
three can be accepted as genuine. These are the small
bronze group of the Combat with Antaeus, (Plate XL)
and the two reliefs on the breastplate of the Young
Warrior, both in the Museo Nazionale, Florence.
Statuette and bust are evidently early work. The
former was in the collection of the Medici, and was
probably executed for Giuliano, for in the Inventory of
their possessions, made in 1495, it is catalogued as
being in his private apartment.* Full of force and
energy as they are, the figures are not equal either in
construction or action to those of the paintings. It is
but a rough sketch in bronze, left unchiselled as it
issued from the mould, and the details are merely
suggested, the hands and feet, the features and the
* “ Uno Erchole che scoppia Anteo, di bronzo tutto, alto br.
f. 2. Nella chamera che risponde sulla via chiamata di Monsignore
dove sta Giuliano.” Muntz, “Les Collections des Medicisau XVnie
Siecle,” Paris, 1888, p. 85.
F