Hercules And The Bulls Of Geryon - Bronze Plaquette After Moderno

Beautiful patinated bronze plaquette depicting Hercules and the bulls of Geryon.
After a model by Galeazzo Mondella, known as il Moderno (1467 - 1528).
Italy, last third of the 19th century.

Diameter 11.5 cm

This plaquette is a high-quality reproduction of a Renaissance original. It was probably produced in one of the Italian art foundries which, from the mid-19th century onwards, mass reproduced antique bronzes. A few rare Renaissance models, mainly by Jean de Bologne, were also produced by those foundries (the most famous of which remain foundrie Sommer and foundrie Chiurazzi, both based in Naples and whose bronzes were generally signed).

The model on this plaquette is attributed to Moderno and belongs to an important series on the Labors of Hercules. This original series, some of which are signed, is made up of rectangular plaquettes (see here : https://essentiels.bnf.fr/fr/image/6c20f7d9-8a5f-444d-b553-506efb78f78f-hercule-volant-boeufs-geryon). A round adaptation with a frame was produced at the same period, leaving us with plaquettes of very high quality, now mostly preserved in museums.

See here two plaquettes from this series in tondo preserved at the Musée du Louvre:
https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010115528
https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010107185

The original plaquette presenting our subject is preserved at the Musei Civici di Brescia (see last photo).

Bibliography:
Francesco Rossi, Placchette, secoli XV - XIX, Musei Civici di Brescia, 1974, cat. n°42.