A Child on a Dolphin
c. 1525/1550
Medium
bronze//Black lacquer (much rubbed on exposed areas) over light yellowish bronze
Dimensions
overall: 14.5 x 9 x 9.5 cm (5 11/16 x 3 9/16 x 3 3/4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.42
Art Historical Context
Behold *A Child on a Dolphin*, a delightful small-scale bronze sculpture attributed to a of Peter Flötner a prominent Nuremberg artist of the Northern Renaissance (c. 1525–1550). Measuring just 14.5 x 9 x 9.5 cm, this intimate piece captures a playful child astride a sinuous dolphin, evoking classical motifs of joy and the sea's whimsy—echoes of ancient Greco-Roman putti that Renaissance artists revived to blend antiquity with Christian humanism. Crafted in light yellowish bronze coated with black lacquer (now rubbed in high-touch areas, revealing the warm metal beneath), the work showcases v...