Venetian nobleman 1585 - 1599

This striking bust of a Venetian nobleman was sculpted by Alessandro Vittoria sometime in the 16th century, out of terracotta. Terracotta, meaning "baked earth" in Italian, is a humble material, easily molded and relatively inexpensive compared to marble or bronze. Yet, in Vittoria’s hands, it becomes a powerful tool for capturing the likeness and character of his subject. The inherent qualities of the clay, its plasticity and responsiveness, allowed Vittoria to achieve a remarkable level of detail, from the intricate folds of the nobleman's drapery to the subtle nuances of his facial expression. The process of modeling in clay, building up form through layers of manipulation, allowed Vittoria to imbue the sculpture with a sense of immediacy and presence. Note how the artist engages with skilled traditions of modeling and firing to create a captivating portrait of wealth and status. Considering the material and the making of an artwork allows us to appreciate the skill involved, challenging conventional notions of 'high' and 'low' art.