When people think of sculpture of the Italian Renaissance, works like Michelangelo's enormous, marble "David" (1501-1504) are generally among the first that come to mind. Yet during this celebrated period, artists also experimented with several other types of sculptural media including terracotta, which allowed them to further express their established interest in classically inspired art.
Because terracotta sculptures (made from a clay-based material) could be shaped by hand, and were often painted after they were fired, they possess a strikingly personal quality that oftentimes isn't conveyed through the polished, white marbles of great Italian masters like Michelangelo. It's rare, however, to find an exhibition in Boston focused solely on terracotta sculptures, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's collection allows visitors to interact with works from a lesser-known medium of one of art history's most famed periods.
"Modeling Devotion: Terracotta Sculpture of the Italian Renaissance" — which is currently on view in the Gardner Museum's special exhibition space — consists of nine works that exhibit typical subjects and compositions of this type of sculpture created in Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries. Isabella Stewart Gardner, the eccentric millionaire who purchased and arranged the collections of the museum, selected highly compelling examples of this particular art form.
The gallery provides visitors with a brief overview of the technique, but the exhibition also explores several other related themes, including forgery, conservation and the relation of the works on display to the museum's broader holdings. All three are significant, particularly within a museum like the Gardner, which has one of the most unique collections in the world. The works in the exhibition would have been better served by a larger space or, indeed, individual exhibitions of their own, so that each could be explained and explored in depth.
As it stands now, the three themes and additional artwork make for a somewhat crowded visiting experience that doesn't allow the visitor to fully appreciate each piece's inherent value. Recent exhibitions in the same space — which is limited to a singular room in accordance with Gardner's will — have pursued more singular themes and made better use of the space.
Despite the abundance of themes, however, the works are quite compelling. Of particular interest is the first terracotta sculpture in the exhibition, "Man of Sorrows" (ca. 1500). This relatively small work, which is painted in a dark color, depicts the figure of Christ with many of the symbols (the cross, nails, tomb, etc.) of the Passion. As the wall text suggests, the sculpture uniquely combines these symbols into one work, and because of its simplicity, it immediately engages the viewer.
Another notable work at the beginning of the exhibition is Giovanni Bastianini's "Bust of a Woman" (ca. 1860). This sculpture elegantly depicts the head of a woman with smooth lines and white glazing. But, as its date suggests, it was not created during the Italian Renaissance. Rather, it was later found to be a forgery of a Renaissance artist's work; this type of duplicity was widespread as a result of contemporary collectors' strong interest in Renaissance artwork. Gardner herself fell victim to this practice, but, perhaps in a testament to her unique artistic vision, she decided to leave the works in place, even after it was proven that they were not from the Italian Renaissance.
Immediately after addressing the theme of forgery, the exhibition proceeds to more general examples of sculpted works in terracotta. Giovanni de Fondulis' "The Deposition of Christ with Carlotta of Lusignano" (ca. 1485) stands out as an exemplary piece. This sculpture's larger portion depicts the Virgin Mary and St. John supporting the dead Christ on their shoulders. Though it does not include full-length depictions, the relief sculpture is displayed at the viewer's eye level, making it very visually accessible. As a result of its dramatic coloring, it is remarkably arresting.
Sculptures in the subsequent part of the exhibition address both the conservation of terracotta sculpture as well as the relation of works on display in the gallery to those on display in other parts of the Gardner museum. Unfortunately for this part of the exhibition, the small space crowds its themes and prevents the visitor from fully appreciating each one's validity and relevance.
Though terracotta sculpture of the Italian Renaissance is not an art form widely exhibited in Boston art museums, the techniques of its creation and finishing lend it a remarkable degree of naturalism. The works on display in this exhibition grip the viewer immediately and reflect Gardner's extraordinarily selective eye that has made her museum so famous.
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At the Gallery, through May 23
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
280 The Fenway
Boston MA 02115
(617) 566-1401