Pluto and Cerberus
ca. 1588
Medium
Bronze, dark brown patina
Dimensions
Height: 20 3/4 in. (52.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Bronze
Culture
Italian, Venice
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George Blumenthal, 1941
Accession Number
41.100.80
Tags
Art Historical Context
Tiziano Aspetti'sPluto and Cerber* (ca. 1588) is a captivating bronze statuette that captures the mythic ruler of the underworld, Pluto in a dynamic embrace with his fearsome guardian dog, Cerberus. at 20¾ inches tall, this dark brown-patinated sculpture exemplifies the Venetian sculptor's mastery of small-scale bronze figures, popular among Renaissance collectors for their tabletop display. Aspetti, a leading figure in late 16th-century Venice renders Pluto's muscular nude form with anatomical precision and Mannerist flair—elongated limbs and twisting poses that convey raw power and tension. ...