Technical analysis of renaissance bronzes for provenance studies: pilot project

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF RENAISSANCE BRONZES FOR PROVENANCE STUDIES: PILOT PROJECT

BY BILLIE MILAM CHANDRA REEDY CAROL SUSSMAN

AUGUST 1988

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . MATERIALS AND METHODS . STATISTICAL PROCEDURES RESULTS . . . . FUTURE WORK. CONCLUSION . REFERENCES . APPENDICES 1. Sculptures Examined . 2. Casting and Decorating Features: Definitions. 3. Casting and Decorating Features: Data Form . 4. Petrographic Data: Definitions. 5. Petrographic Data: Form 6. Key to the Data Table 7. Data Table . . 28 4 8 12 24 26 27

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50 53 67

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INTRODUCTION Using traditional art historical methods in the study of Renaissance bronze sculptures, it is difficult to make reliable attributions to specific artist, to date the sculptures or even to establish a region of origin. With little historical documentation available , attributions for most This situation is

sculptures fall along a continuum from very uncertain to relatively certain.

not unique to Renaissance bronzes. In order to address this problem , museum laboratories have in the recent past developed programs of technical studies of art objects aimed at contributing to provenance determinations . Examples are long-term studies of Chinese bronzes (Bagley 1987) and of Sasanian silver (Harper and Meyers 1981). These and other studies serve as examples

demonstrating the usefulness of combin ing technical examination with stylistic studies. Renaissance bronzes have as yet not been subjected to such comprehensive examinat ions although technical studies have been carried out at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum and the National Gallery. For example, the work at the Metropolitan It is therefore highly likely

Museum has produced especially interesting results (Stone 1982).

that a comprehensive long-term project of technical studies of Renaissance bronze sculptures will provide significant results and will cons iderably enhance our