Doorknocker with a Satyr Pulling an Ox's Horns

1800s
(Italian, c. 1470–1532)
Overall: 8.8 x 25.2 x 8.8 cm (3 7/16 x 9 15/16 x 3 7/16 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: not on view

Download, Print and Share

Description

Fanciful bronzes such as this one were extremely popular in the late 1500s in the north of Italy, where sculptors such as Andrea Riccio and Severo da Ravenna often featured bizarre imaginary creatures in their sculptures. These artists exerted a long lasting influence on their peers and followers for the remainder of the sixteenth century. However, this sculpture was not made in the 1500s. Based on the weight and style of the Doorknocker it is most likely that it was made in the 1800s to mimic the style of Riccio and his followers. This sculpture is solid; in the 1500s artists created hollow sculptures, to reduce the costs of the object and to decrease the chances of flaws in the sculpture. However, in the 1800s when better bronze casting technology evolved and the price of the metal was less costly, artists created solid bronze sculptures based on sixteenth-century designs. In particular, there was a considerable market in England for Renaissance Revival doorknockers to be used decoratively on pub doors.
Doorknocker with a Satyr Pulling an Ox's Horns

Doorknocker with a Satyr Pulling an Ox's Horns

1800s

Andrea Riccio

(Italian, c. 1470–1532)
Italy, early 16th Century

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.