Mucius Scaevola c. 15th century

This bronze plaquette depicting Mucius Scaevola was made by Master IO.F.F. in Northern Italy sometime in the late 15th or early 16th century. Here we see a scene lifted from Roman history that illustrates the civic virtues that Renaissance elites wished to emulate. According to the story, Mucius Scaevola demonstrated his loyalty to Rome by thrusting his right hand into a fire to prove his courage to the enemy king. The composition invites us to consider the theatricality of power. The figures are arranged as if on a stage. Roman soldiers, with their standards, are on the left. The royal court is gathered around a classical building on the right. And in the center, the muscular Scaevola turns to face the viewer as he performs his act of self-sacrifice. Historical sources, such as Livy's *History of Rome*, help us understand the values that this image promotes. By studying the artistic conventions of plaquettes like this one, we can also explore how elites in Renaissance Italy sought to define themselves through the art they commissioned.