Set of four panel ornaments
Unknown Artist
17th–18th century
Medium
Gilt bronze
Dimensions
Height (.81a): 12 in. (30.5 cm); Height (.81b): 11 in. (27.9 cm); Height (.81c): 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm); Height (.81d): 11 in. (27.9 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gilt Bronze
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906
Accession Number
07.225.510.81a–d
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant set of four gilt bronze ornaments, crafted in France during the lavish 17th–18th centuries, exemplifies the opulence of the Baroque and Rococo periods. Standing between 10½ and 12 inches tall, these pieces feature dynamic male nudes—likely inspired by classical antiquity—posed in graceful, muscular forms that evoke mythological heroes or allegorical figures. Their varying heights suggest they were designed as harmonious decorative mounts for furniture panels, cabinets, or wall applications, adding a touch of grandeur to aristocratic interiors. Gilt bronze was a hallmark of French...