Baccio Bandinelli in his studio holding a statuette of Venus, students sketching from a model by candlelight
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 13/16 × 11 13/16 in. (27.4 × 30 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.97.144
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling heart of a Renaissance artist's studio with this captivating 1531 engraving by Agostino Veneziano, a design by the renowned sculptor Baccio Bandinelli. T *Baccio Bandinelli in his holding a statuette of, students sketching from a by candlelight*, the vividly captures Bandinelli at work, cradling a small Venus figure while his eager students draw from a live male model illuminated by dramatic candlelight. Measuring about 11 by 10 inches, this intricate engraving from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection offers a rare glimpse into the daily life of 16th-century artistic training in Florence. Bandinelli, a prominent Mannerist sculptor and fierce rival of Michelangelo, embodies the era's competitive spirit in art. Veneziano's masterful engraving technique—using fine lines and cross-hatching to convey texture, shadow, and depth—made such scenes accessible beyond the studio, popularizing the master's image and methods. Engravings like this were revolutionary, serving as affordable "reproductions" that spread Renaissance ideals across Europe. This artwork highlights the cultural importance of the *bottega* (workshop) system, where apprentices honed skills through direct observation and copying. The intimate interior, filled with men focused on drawing nude models, underscores the period's emphasis on anatomy and realism, blending education, innovation, and the glow of creative ambition.
About the Artist
Baccio Bandinelli|Agostino Veneziano (Agostino dei Musi) · 1493–1560
Bandinelli was the son of Michelangelo de'Brandini, a successful Florentine goldsmith. Baccio was a loyal subject of the Medici, even when they were in exile 1494-1513; consequently he was rewarded by receiving commissions after the elections to the papacy of Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici) and Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici), and after Cosimo de' Medici became Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1537. His polit...