Bishop (Saint Ambrose?) 1550 - 1600

This is a bronze statuette of a Bishop, possibly Saint Ambrose, created by Jacopo Sansovino. Consider the role of religious figures during the Renaissance. Representing a Bishop in bronze, Sansovino acknowledges the power and influence wielded by the church. The weight of the metal mirrors the gravity of the Bishop's position, as a figure of moral and spiritual authority. Note the Bishop's garb and the keys he holds, symbols of his office and the power to grant access to heaven. At the time this was created, artists were grappling with how to represent status and identity through art. This statuette offers a narrative, not only of religious power, but also of the artistic and cultural values of the Renaissance.