Godfroy de Bouillon 1536 - 1546

Curator: Let’s spend a moment with this bronze relief, "Godfroy de Bouillon," crafted by Colin Nouailher sometime between 1536 and 1546. It’s a striking portrait medallion currently residing here at the Metropolitan Museum. Editor: My immediate reaction is to the almost graphic starkness. The black background throws the figures forward with incredible drama. Is it me, or is there a nervous energy in the horse's eye and tense jaw? Curator: Absolutely! The horse mirrors the intensity we often associate with depictions of Godfrey of Bouillon, the leader of the First Crusade. It seems Nouailher wants us to consider him as a powerful, almost mythical, figure. Look at the positioning of the crosses, for instance. Editor: Yes, those crosses feel really important in this portrait. We see it repeated. It feels manufactured but very striking to the eye. Can we speak about the metalwork of the bronze? I would love to get a feel for how he approached it as a sculpture. Curator: Indeed. The crosses, emblazoned on both the horse's trappings and Godfrey's shield, act as visual anchors. They declare his unwavering faith and divinely ordained mission. The black background gives it an unsettling timeless quality. It strips any geographic information from it, forcing a consideration only of the central man and steed. Editor: Stripping away other information is quite unusual for that period in relief making, and the detail is striking considering its size. Knowing Nouailher worked in enamel as well, one wonders about his design process for such a small object to have this large and dramatic impact. I wonder what studio assistance he had or did he do everything alone. Curator: What’s compelling is how Nouailher translates what we've seen with painted portraiture into a metal relief, condensing historical narratives into a single image. Godfrey becomes a symbol and historical painting rendered for the domestic interior. Editor: So much detail in bronze on such a small medallion feels significant. I think knowing more about how he constructed the whole artwork gives me such a good feel for how it impacted his consumers at the time. Curator: I'm left thinking about how even in skilled portraiture we find constructed symbolism, cultural ideals made visible. Editor: And how the deliberate choice of a singular artistic design shapes a hero.