Birth of Venus
19th century
Medium
Gilt bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 2 3/8 in. (6 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Erich Lederer Collection, Gift of Mrs. Erich Lederer, 1986
Accession Number
1986.319.38
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gilt bronze plaquette, titled *Birth of Venus* and attributed to the Master of the Birth of Venus captures the timeless myth of the goddess emerging from the sea in a delicate 19th-century Italian rendition. Measuring just 2 3/8 inches in diameter, this small-scale sculpture belongs to the tradition of medals and plaquettes—intimate, collectible reliefs prized for their fine craftsmanship and portability. The gilding lends a luminous, jewel-like quality to the bronze, evoking opulence of Renaissance revival styles popular in 19th-century Europe. The artwork draws from the class...