Mars, Venus and Cupid with Vulcan at his forge (the Mantuan Roundel) 1495 - 1505

Gian Marco Cavalli created this bronze roundel, depicting Mars, Venus, Cupid and Vulcan, around 1500. This wasn't cast in one go, but rather assembled. Look closely and you can see that the figures, ornament and ground are all separate components, skillfully joined together. The artist then added gilding and silvering. The choice of bronze is significant. During the Renaissance, this material was closely associated with classical antiquity, connoting power and permanence. But it's also important to remember that bronze is not a naturally occurring substance. It's an alloy of copper and tin, and their combination requires human intervention. Consider too the labor involved. Cavalli would have needed not only artistic skill, but also a working knowledge of metallurgy and metalworking, processes that are anything but easy. In this case, the immaculate detailing gives the work its aesthetic impact. So, next time you encounter an object like this, remember that the hand of the artist is only part of the story. Materials, making, and context - they all add to the meaning.