Fortune, Mars, and Minerva [reverse] 1486 - 1490

Curator: Bronze, and round, like an ancient coin! My first thought: it feels heavy with history, myth… kind of imposing despite its size. What are we looking at exactly? Editor: This is a bronze relief called "Fortune, Mars, and Minerva [reverse]", made sometime between 1486 and 1490 by an artist known as Antico, during the Italian Renaissance. Looking closely, you can make out those three figures – Fortuna, Mars, and Minerva. The reverse suggests it may have been part of a larger object, maybe a medal or a decorative element. Curator: "Fortune, Mars, and Minerva", the trinity of power... It’s very macho of the Renaissance to make the goddesses just props of the god of War... You see the muscular figure, almost brutally confident. How can this be contextualized? Editor: Contextually, it reflects the period's fascination with classical antiquity. The Renaissance rediscovered and reinterpreted ancient myths to legitimize new forms of power. Think about the court of Mantua, where Antico worked; it was a microcosm of Italian Renaissance politics, all patronage and display. These images served as allegories. Curator: Allegories for what? Unlimited ego of the prince and of course the subjugated muses who were only there to entertain his 'brilliance'. Look how he has taken the spotlight... Editor: It's difficult not to read into the positioning as hierarchy. The way Renaissance patrons used mythological figures wasn't about pure aesthetics, or pure story telling, but power building and dominance using any symbols and iconographies... However, Minerva embodies wisdom and strategic warfare. Perhaps the intention isn't subjugation but showing comprehensive leadership. Curator: Comprehensive is relative; this piece has some contradictions, doesn’t it? It borrows from classical forms but promotes a distinctly Renaissance ideology, a male ideology for that matter.. How do you feel about the tension there? Editor: The tension you’re noticing keeps things vital, I think. By pulling on classical themes to present a totally new order in that world, they transformed myth to be politically loaded for a new audience. It speaks to the capacity for rebirth, how symbols morph into entirely new creatures for each era they inhabit... The metal is beautiful and the impression they leave is everlasting Curator: Yes, you are right. Bronze as a permanent statement about what the artist wanted to portray... Food for thought indeed! Thank you.