Beroemde vrouwen uit de Oudheid

About this artwork

diameter 7,8 cm x gewicht 49 gr

Art Historical Context

**Beroemde vrouwen uit de Oudheid** (Famous Women from Antiquity) is a delicate Renaissance plaquette crafted by Peter Flötner, a prolific Nuremberg artist active around 1525–1550. Measuring just 7.8 cm in diameter and weighing 49 grams, this intimate gilded metalwork likely served as a collector's item or personal talisman, showcasing Flötner's mastery in small-scale sculpture. Flötner, influenced by Italian Renaissance humanism, drew inspiration from classical antiquity, immortalizing legendary women—perhaps figures like Lucretia or Cleopatra—on its surface. Created during the Northern Renaissance in Nuremberg, a hub of artistic innovation and goldsmithing, the piece reflects the era's fascination with ancient Rome and Greece. Humanists collected such medals and plaquettes to celebrate virtuous heroines, blending education with artistry. Flötner's style, known for intricate engravings and grotesque motifs from his woodcuts and fonts, infuses these portraits with dynamic energy and classical poise. The gilding technique—applying a thin gold layer over base metal like bronze or copper—highlights its luxury and durability, evoking imperial Roman coins while symbolizing enduring female legacy. Though small, it embodies the Renaissance revival of antiquity, inviting us to ponder the timeless allure of these storied women.

About the Artist

Peter Flötner · 1485–1546

Peter Flötner (c. 1485–1546) was a German sculptor, ornament designer, and medalist whose work played a central role in the transmission of Italian Renaissance decorative vocabulary into the German-speaking lands. Though his exact origins remain uncertain — he may have trained in Augsburg before settling permanently in Nuremberg around 1522 — his formation evidently included exposure to Italian Re...