The young Hadrian 1575 - 1699

Guglielmo della Porta created this bronze bust of the young Hadrian sometime in the 16th century. Working with bronze demands great skill. The lost-wax casting process, used here, involves creating a wax model, encasing it in clay, melting out the wax, and then pouring molten bronze into the resulting mold. The bronze then cools, the mold is broken, and the sculpture is revealed. This is followed by careful finishing, chasing the surface to refine the details, like the curls of Hadrian’s hair and beard. The choice of bronze is significant. In antiquity, it was associated with power and permanence, favored for portraits of emperors and gods. Della Porta skillfully manipulates the material to create a sense of lifelike presence. The weight and density of the bronze give the bust a feeling of substance and authority. The intense labor required for such a bronze reveals a world of workshops, apprentices, and specialized artisans. It reminds us that art making is always a social endeavor, embedded in systems of production and patronage.