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The torso of the woman in this group is recognizable as that of a model named Adèle Abruzzezzi. Rodin used it repeatedly, and it appears, for example, in a very different context in The Gates of Hell. Eternal Spring is in a lighter vein, however,... See more

The torso of the woman in this group is recognizable as that of a model named Adèle Abruzzezzi. Rodin used it repeatedly, and it appears, for example, in a very different context in The Gates of Hell. Eternal Spring is in a lighter vein, however, full of awakening sensuality and implying neither guilt nor punishment to come. The sculpture was extremely popular, and Rodin repeated it often both in marble and in bronze. In 1898, he sold his plaster foundry models with the reproduction rights for this sculpture and its spiritual twin, The Kiss, to the firm of Ferdinand Barbedienne, the commercial foundry. This marble, commissioned from Rodin in 1906 and finished in March 1907, displays the sensuous, veiled quality of carving that creates an impressionistic play of light and shade on the surface of the medium characteristic of the marbles of Rodin's later career. See less

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Victory, 1892–1903; this cast, 1912 or after (by 1916) Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, 1848–1907) Bronze, gilt; 38 x 9 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. (96.5 x 24.1 x 47 cm) Rogers Fund, 1917 (17.90.1)

Victory, 1892–1903; this cast, 1912 or after (by 1916) Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, 1848–1907) Bronze, gilt; 38 x 9 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. (96.5 x 24.1 x 47 cm) Rogers Fund, 1917 (17.90.1) See less

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George Washington, 1795 Giuseppe Ceracchi (Italian, 1751–1801) Made in Florence, Italy, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Marble; H. 28 7/8 in. (73.3 cm) Bequest of John L. Cadwalader, 1914 (14.58.235)

George Washington, 1795 Giuseppe Ceracchi (Italian, 1751–1801) Made in Florence, Italy, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Marble; H. 28 7/8 in. (73.3 cm) Bequest of John L. Cadwalader, 1914 (14.58.235) See less

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The Triton, seated on a circular base formed of three dolphins with tails interlaced and heads resting on three inverted scallop shells, originally served as a fountain figure. Like most of the sculptor's compositions, this work was meant to be... See more

The Triton, seated on a circular base formed of three dolphins with tails interlaced and heads resting on three inverted scallop shells, originally served as a fountain figure. Like most of the sculptor's compositions, this work was meant to be viewed from all sides. With its supple modeling and vigorous chasing, the present bronze is the earliest example of this composition to survive and should be dated to the artist's early maturity, in the 1560s, shortly after he arrived in Florence from his native Flanders. Giambologna was renowned for his skill in casting bronze, the medium in which most of his work (ranging in scale from minute to monumental) was executed. The nature of the casting process lent itself to the multiplication of original models under the sculptor's supervision. One of Giambologna's own casts of the Triton, presumably fairly large like this example, was sent to France along with a cast of his celebrated Mercury. Known reductions of the Triton composition show the... See less

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Clodion, whose career spanned the last decades of the ancien régime through the French Revolution and Napoleon's reign, embraced his era's taste for antiquity. Sometimes this preference is more apparent in his choice of theme than in his style. While... See more

Clodion, whose career spanned the last decades of the ancien régime through the French Revolution and Napoleon's reign, embraced his era's taste for antiquity. Sometimes this preference is more apparent in his choice of theme than in his style. While often Neoclassical, his manner at times remained quite Rococo, as in the present example. Although Clodion received a number of important commissions for monumental marble sculptures, his fame and popularity rested on his skill at modeling small-scale terracotta groups for private collectors. The seeming spontaneity of this composition, a rapturous embrace, in which it appears that the senses are totally abandoned, was achieved only after much meditation. This work is one of the most minutely studied of all the Bacchic orgies that were Clodion's specialty. The front and back show deliberate adjustments of angles, openings, and masses, all checked and balanced as the model passed under his fingers on his trestle table. Clodion's work was... See less

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Clytie, 1869–70; this carving, 1872 William Henry Rinehart (American, 1825–1874) Marble; 62 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 21 1/4 in. (158.8 x 47 x 54 cm) Gift of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Herriman, 1911 (11.68.1)

Clytie, 1869–70; this carving, 1872 William Henry Rinehart (American, 1825–1874) Marble; 62 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 21 1/4 in. (158.8 x 47 x 54 cm) Gift of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Herriman, 1911 (11.68.1) See less

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Orpheus and Eurydice, probably modeled before 1887, executed 1893 Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917) Marble; H. 50 in. (127 cm) Gift of Thomas F. Ryan, 1910 (10.63.2)

Orpheus and Eurydice, probably modeled before 1887, executed 1893 Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917) Marble; H. 50 in. (127 cm) Gift of Thomas F. Ryan, 1910 (10.63.2) See less

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The Hand of God, modeled ca. 1896, this marble executed ca. 1907 Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917) Marble; H. 29 in. (73.7 cm) Gift of Edward D. Adams, 1908 (08.210)

The Hand of God, modeled ca. 1896, this marble executed ca. 1907 Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917) Marble; H. 29 in. (73.7 cm) Gift of Edward D. Adams, 1908 (08.210) See less

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Vase or clock ornament, ca. 1770 French Gilt bronze; H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm) Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906 (07.225.510.316)

Vase or clock ornament, ca. 1770 French Gilt bronze; H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm) Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906 (07.225.510.316) See less

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The first in a series of ornamental garden sculptures produced by Scudder, Frog Fountain depicts a spirited boy looking down on three open-mouthed frogs. In her autobiography, the sculptor recalled the fountain's origin: "In that moment a finished... See more

The first in a series of ornamental garden sculptures produced by Scudder, Frog Fountain depicts a spirited boy looking down on three open-mouthed frogs. In her autobiography, the sculptor recalled the fountain's origin: "In that moment a finished work flashed before me. I saw a little boy dancing, laughing, chuckling all to himself while a spray of water dashed over him. The idea of my Frog Fountain was born." For her "water babies," Scudder acknowledged the importance of Italian Renaissance sculpture—particularly Donatello's Cantoria (1433–39; Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence) and Verrocchio's Boy and Dolphin (ca. 1465; Palazzo Vecchio, Florence)—which she studied during a trip to Italy in the winter of 1899–1900. A more direct influence is the work of her mentor Frederick MacMonnies, specifically his ebullient Boy and Duck (22.61). Scudder assisted MacMonnies in his Paris studio during the 1890s, and spent most of her career in France. She modeled Frog Fountain in Paris in 1901... See less

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Plaster model for Cupid and Psyche, 18th century (1794) Antonio Canova (Italian, 1757–1822) Rome, Italy Plaster; 53 x 59 1/2 x 32 in. (134.6 x 151.1 x 81.3 cm) Gift of Isidor Straus, 1905 (05.46)

Plaster model for Cupid and Psyche, 18th century (1794) Antonio Canova (Italian, 1757–1822) Rome, Italy Plaster; 53 x 59 1/2 x 32 in. (134.6 x 151.1 x 81.3 cm) Gift of Isidor Straus, 1905 (05.46) See less

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La Table aux Amours (The Demidoff Table), 1845 Lorenzo Bartolini (Italian, 1777–1850) Marb...

La Table aux Amours (The Demidoff Table), 1845 Lorenzo Bartolini (Italian, 1777–1850) Marble; Diam. 54 in. (137.2 cm), H. 64 in. (162.6 cm) Gift of Le Duc de Loubat, 1903 (03.11a–d) See less

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Vanderbilt Mantelpiece, ca. 1881–83 Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, 1848–1907) Marble, mosaic, oak, and cast iron; 184 3/8 x 154 7/8 x 37 1/4 in. (468.3 x 393.4 x 94.6 cm) Gift of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, 1925 (25.234)

Vanderbilt Mantelpiece, ca. 1881–83 Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, 1848–1907) Marble, mosaic, oak, and cast iron; 184 3/8 x 154 7/8 x 37 1/4 in. (468.3 x 393.4 x 94.6 cm) Gift of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, 1925 (25.234) See less

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This tall and stately secretary, fashioned of the finest figured mahogany, is a masterpiece from the shop of Nathaniel Gould, the leading cabinetmaker of Salem, Massachusetts, in the third quarter of the eighteenth century. When Gould died in 1781,... See more

This tall and stately secretary, fashioned of the finest figured mahogany, is a masterpiece from the shop of Nathaniel Gould, the leading cabinetmaker of Salem, Massachusetts, in the third quarter of the eighteenth century. When Gould died in 1781, he was called a gentleman, having sometime before given up working with his hands. On an inside surface, the desk and bookcase bear the enigmatic inscription: "Nath Gould not his work." Presumably a master joiner in his shop wrote these words so that posterity would not credit Gould himself with actually having crafted the piece. See less

Highlights: Desk and bookcase, ca. 1779 Workshop of Nathaniel Gould (American, 1734–1782) American; Salem, Massachusetts Mahogany, white pine; 105 x 45 x 24 in. (266.7 x 114.3 x 61 cm) Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909 (10.125.81a)

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Desk (secrétaire), ca. 1804–15 French Amboyna on pine with gilt-bronze mounts; 68 1/4 x 34 1/2 x 14 7/8 in. (173.4 x 87.6 x 37.8 cm) Rogers Fund, 1923 (23.147.1)

Desk (secrétaire), ca. 1804–15 French Amboyna on pine with gilt-bronze mounts; 68 1/4 x 34 1/2 x 14 7/8 in. (173.4 x 87.6 x 37.8 cm) Rogers Fund, 1923 (23.147.1) See less

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Ordered from Riesener together with a matching commode and encoignure (corner cabinet) for use in Queen Marie Antoinette's cabinet intérieur at Versailles in 1783, the secretary and the commode were sent several years later to the Château of Saint... See more

Ordered from Riesener together with a matching commode and encoignure (corner cabinet) for use in Queen Marie Antoinette's cabinet intérieur at Versailles in 1783, the secretary and the commode were sent several years later to the Château of Saint Cloud. With their Japanese black and gold lacquer panels and exquisite gilt-bronze mounts, the secretary and the commode, now also in the Museum's collection, are among the best known pieces of royal furniture outside France. Based on their superb quality, the mounts have been attributed to Pierre Gouthière (1732–1813), the most famous Parisian bronzeworker of the late eighteenth century who became doreur du roi (gilder to the king) in 1767. Composed of intertwined garlands of naturalistic flowers that incorporate the queen's monogram MA in the center, the jewel-like quality is a triumph of prestidigitation. Unlike the ribbon-shaped handles on the front of the secretary that give access to the drawer in the frieze, those on the sides did not... See less

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Bureau table, ca. 1765 Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1733–1809) Newport, Rhode Island Mahogany, chestnut, tulip poplar, white pine; 34 3/8 x 36 1/2 x 20 1/2 in. (87.3 x 92.7 x 52.1 cm) Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909 (10.125.83)

Bureau table, ca. 1765 Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1733–1809) Newport, Rhode Island Mahogany, chestnut, tulip poplar, white pine; 34 3/8 x 36 1/2 x 20 1/2 in. (87.3 x 92.7 x 52.1 cm) Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909 (10.125.83) See less

Highlights: In eighteenth-century Newport, a thriving seaport ninety miles south of Boston, local cabinetmakers produced some of the most creative and uniquely American of all colonial furniture. One of their innovations was the introduction of carved, lobed shells to terminate the projecting or...

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Kast, 1690–1720 American; New York City Yellow poplar, red oak, white pine; 61 1/2 x 60 1/4 x 23 in. (156.2 x 153 x 58.4 cm) Rogers Fund, 1909 (09.175)

Kast, 1690–1720 American; New York City Yellow poplar, red oak, white pine; 61 1/2 x 60 1/4 x 23 in. (156.2 x 153 x 58.4 cm) Rogers Fund, 1909 (09.175) See less

Highlights: Painted with large pendants of fruit in niches, this piece represents both a type of cupboard—a kast—and a form of decoration derived from Dutch prototypes. The ornament, executed in blue-gray, black, and white in a technique known as grisaille, simulates in paint the opulent Baroque...

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The richest and most vigorous early colonial carving is that associated with the work of William Searle (1634–1667) and Thomas Dennis (1638–1706) of Ipswich. Paired leaves, with a naturalistic, three-dimensional quality rare in American furniture of... See more

The richest and most vigorous early colonial carving is that associated with the work of William Searle (1634–1667) and Thomas Dennis (1638–1706) of Ipswich. Paired leaves, with a naturalistic, three-dimensional quality rare in American furniture of the period, dominate the panels of this chest; the panels are carved in the popular seventeenth-century design of a stalk of flowers and leaves emerging from an urn, of which only the opening is indicated here. Searle and Dennis came from Devonshire, England, where a tradition of florid carving, using many of the motifs seen on this chest, flourished in the early seventeenth century. See less

Highlights: Chest, 1660–80 Attributed to William Searle (American, 1634–1667); or Thomas Dennis (American, 1638–1706) Made in Ipswich, Massachusetts Red oak, white oak; 29 3/4 x 49 1/8 x 21 3/8 in. (75.6 x 124.8 x 54.3 cm) Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909 (10.125.685)

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Desk chair (fauteuil de bureau), French Mahogany, gilt bronze, satin-velvet upholstery (voided, green and red); 34 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (87.6 x 59.7 x 64.8 cm) Marks: Three brand marks of the initials C M J surmounted by a princely or ducal... See more

Desk chair (fauteuil de bureau), French Mahogany, gilt bronze, satin-velvet upholstery (voided, green and red); 34 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (87.6 x 59.7 x 64.8 cm) Marks: Three brand marks of the initials C M J surmounted by a princely or ducal crown on the underside of the seat rail between the legs of the chair; can be interpreted as collectors' marks of Caroline and Joachim Murat Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906 (07.225.53) See less

Highlights: The seat rotates on the four-leg base of this "roundabout" chair. Napoleon used a similar chair at the Palais des Tuileries in Paris.

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Under the influence of Italian theory, Dürer became increasingly drawn to the idea that the perfect human form corresponded to a system of proportion and measurements. Near the end of his life, he wrote several books codifying his theories: the... See more

Under the influence of Italian theory, Dürer became increasingly drawn to the idea that the perfect human form corresponded to a system of proportion and measurements. Near the end of his life, he wrote several books codifying his theories: the Underweysung der Messung (Manual of measurement), published in 1525, and Vier Bücher von menschlichen Proportion (Four books of human proportion), published in 1528, just after his death. Dürer's fascination with ideal form is manifest in Adam and Eve. The first man and woman are shown in nearly symmetrical idealized poses: each with the weight on one leg, the other leg bent, and each with one arm angled slightly upward from the elbow and somewhat away from the body. The figure of Adam is reminiscent of the Hellenistic Apollo Belvedere, excavated in Italy late in the fifteenth century. The first engravings of the sculpture were not made until well after 1504, but Dürer must have seen a drawing of it. Dürer was a complete master of engraving by... See less

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Trumbull met Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) in 1785 when Jefferson, then American minister to France, was in London. Jefferson invited him to be his guest in Paris, an offer that Trumbull took up twice, in 1786 and 1787. In 1787, he painted Jefferson... See more

Trumbull met Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) in 1785 when Jefferson, then American minister to France, was in London. Jefferson invited him to be his guest in Paris, an offer that Trumbull took up twice, in 1786 and 1787. In 1787, he painted Jefferson from life into his small canvas depicting the Declaration of Independence (Yale University Art Gallery). The present portrait, copied from the Declaration, was painted sometime between March and July of 1788 and presented to Jefferson's close friend, Mrs. John B. Church. Trumbull made other copies for Mrs. Maria Cosway (Collection of the White House, Washington, D.C.) and for Jefferson's daughter Martha (Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Charlottesville, Virginia). See less

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Sully executed this oil study over the course of four sittings at Buckingham Palace, the first of which was March 22, 1838. That day, the artist wrote a fairly precise description of Victoria's appearance in his journal, noting that she was "of good... See more

Sully executed this oil study over the course of four sittings at Buckingham Palace, the first of which was March 22, 1838. That day, the artist wrote a fairly precise description of Victoria's appearance in his journal, noting that she was "of good form, particularly the neck and bosom." While propriety forbade him from calling attention to her décolletage, he felt free to feature the attractive expanse of her back. The greatest license Sully took in portraying Victoria as a lovely young woman was to express her sensuality. This comes across in the oil study, in which he described her neck and shoulders in the succulent, painterly style that characterizes his finest work. See less

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Highlights: Rowel Spur, ca. 1400 Spanish, Catalan Copper, gold, and enamel; L. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm) Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 (14.25.1737)

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This early multishot wheellock pistol is the work of Peter Peck, a maker of watches and guns. Two locks are combined in one mechanism, providing the barrels with separate ignition. Made for Emperor Charles V (r. 1519–56), the pistol is decorated with... See more

This early multishot wheellock pistol is the work of Peter Peck, a maker of watches and guns. Two locks are combined in one mechanism, providing the barrels with separate ignition. Made for Emperor Charles V (r. 1519–56), the pistol is decorated with his dynastic and personal emblems: the double-headed imperial eagle and the pillars of Hercules with the Latin motto "Plus ultra" (More beyond). See less

Highlights: Double-Barreled Wheellock Pistol of Emperor Charles V, ca. 1540–45 Made by Peter Peck (1500/10–1596) German (Munich) Steel, etched and gilded; wood, inlaid with engraved staghorn; L. 19 3/8 in. (49.2 cm) Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 (14.25.1425)

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This side drum bears a magnificent royal cartouche with the cipher of Frederick Augustus II. Known by his nickname, "Augustus the Strong," he ruled as elector of Saxony (1694–1733) and king of Poland (1697–1704, 1709–33). The cartouche consists of... See more

This side drum bears a magnificent royal cartouche with the cipher of Frederick Augustus II. Known by his nickname, "Augustus the Strong," he ruled as elector of Saxony (1694–1733) and king of Poland (1697–1704, 1709–33). The cartouche consists of many royal and military symbols, including a large crown, shields, swords, banners, and drums. This brass shell drum was certainly a military instrument that would have been used to signal troops in the field and to provide cadences for a marching army. The drum would have been worn on a sling to a player's side, and played with two large sticks. Across the bottom head are two cords—consisting of a single piece of twisted gut—that rattle against the head when the drum is played, giving the drum its characteristic "buzzy" sound. The player can adjust the tension on the snares with a wing nut that maneuvers a large j-hook snare strainer mounted on the shell. See less

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The silver globe, engraved with representations of the constellations, revolves to simulate the apparent movement of the stars, while the sun moves along the path of the ecliptic in accord with the sun's apparent motion through the zodiac during the... See more

The silver globe, engraved with representations of the constellations, revolves to simulate the apparent movement of the stars, while the sun moves along the path of the ecliptic in accord with the sun's apparent motion through the zodiac during the year. The small dial (a replacement) near the top of the meridian ring registers mean solar time, while a movable ring within the horizon circle functions as a calendar. Emmoser, who began his career in Heidelberg, Germany, was appointed clockmaker to two of the great imperial patrons of art and science in the sixteenth century, Maximilian II (r. 1564–76) and Rudolf II (r. 1576–1612). The globe, listed in the early seventeenth-century inventory of the Kunstkammer of Emperor Rudolf II, seems from the beginning to have been intended for the Imperial Kunstkammer, rather than for practical use in an observatory. See less

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In addition to showing the hours, the astrolabe dial of this clock (parts of which are now missing) was made to indicate the apparent motions of twenty-three stars in the northern hemisphere, the position of the sun and the moon in the zodiac, the... See more

In addition to showing the hours, the astrolabe dial of this clock (parts of which are now missing) was made to indicate the apparent motions of twenty-three stars in the northern hemisphere, the position of the sun and the moon in the zodiac, the astrological houses of heaven, and the age and phase of the moon in its monthly cycle. The recessed ring encircling the chapter of hours gives the day of the year, saints' days, and other calendrical information for the period beginning in 1570 and ending in 1610. The dial on top is for setting the alarm. The inclusion of a clock such as this one in a Kunstkammer would have demonstrated the owner's familiarity with cosmology, astronomy, and astrology. See less

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Citation for this page: "Vessel [Egyptian] (20.2.10)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/02/afe/ho_20.2.10.htm (October 2006) Learn more on www.metmuseum.org See more works... See more

Citation for this page: "Vessel [Egyptian] (20.2.10)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/02/afe/ho_20.2.10.htm (October 2006) Learn more on www.metmuseum.org See more works of art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of Egyptian Art. See less

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This type of vessel, known in Sanskrit as a kundika, was originally used in Buddhist ceremonies for sprinkling water for purification. The form originated in India, the birthplace of Buddhism, and was later transmitted to China and Korea. The kundika... See more

This type of vessel, known in Sanskrit as a kundika, was originally used in Buddhist ceremonies for sprinkling water for purification. The form originated in India, the birthplace of Buddhism, and was later transmitted to China and Korea. The kundika is one of the usual attributes of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. In the painting of the Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara in the Museum's collection (14.76.6), for example, a kundika bottle, placed in a clear glass bowl and holding a willow branch that symbolizes healing, appears to the right of Avalokiteshvara. The kundika, as seen in this example, typically has a long neck, above which rises a slender tubelike mouth, which functions as the spout. Attached to the shoulder is another spout, with a small removable lid; it is through this opening that the bottle is filled with water. A standard vessel type in the Koryô period, kundika were produced in celadon ceramic ware as well as bronze. The Chinese envoy Xu Jing (1091–1153), who visited the... See less

Highlights: This bottle looks alot like a smoking device to me!...hahaha