The Flagellation
Moderno (Italian, 1467–1528)
16th century
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
14 × 10 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Chester D. Tripp
Accession Number
1967.150
Tags
male
About this artwork
Although not exact copies, the compositions of both this bronze plaque and drawing derive from the Laocoön group, an ancient marble sculpture unearthed in 1506 in Rome. The nearly life-size statue of the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons battling giant sea snakes quickly became a source of inspiration for artists. They especially appreciated the emotional anguish and physical strain portrayed by the struggling male nudes. In The Flagellation, the sculptor Moderno adopted Laocoön’s pose and musc...