Augustus en de sibylle
ca. 1475 - ca. 1499
Medium
bronze (metal)
Dimensions
5.5
About this artwork
diameter 5,5 cm
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite bronze plaquette *Augustus en de sible* by the Italian artist Moderno (Antonio di Pietro Averlino crafted around 1475–1499. Measuring just 5.5 cm in diameter, this intimate Renaissance masterpiece captures a pivotal moment from Christian legend: the Roman Emperor encountering the Tiburtine Sibyl, reveals a vision of the Virgin Mary and Christ child atop the altar of Janus. Such scenes symbolized Augustus's prophetic recognition of the divine savior, bridging pagan antiquity with Christian faith. Moderno, a leading figure in the burgeoning art of medals and plaquettes duri...
About the Artist
Moderno
Galeazzo Mondella, known to history as Moderno, was born in Verona in 1467 and became one of the most accomplished and widely admired creators of bronze plaquettes during the Italian Renaissance. He joined the Goldsmiths' Guild of Verona in 1485 at the age of eighteen, and by 1487 he had begun working at the court of Mantua, where he adopted the name Moderno—chosen in deliberate counterpoint to hi...