About this piece
back to topA handsome pair of mid-19th century European cast bronze oval neoclassical profile portrait plaques depicting Italian painter and architect, Raphael (1483-1520), and Italian poet and writer, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321).
Reminiscent of classical intaglios, these profile portrait plaques of French or Italian origin are impressed into bronze, each with a fleur-de-lis shield foundry mark and initialled ‘P.B.’ to the reverse.
The oval plaque displaying Raphael is inscribed with ‘Raffaello e Fornarina’ and sees the painter beside a woman identified as his muse, Margherita Luti. She is nicknamed La Fornarina which translates to ‘baker’s daughter’. Raphael’s renaissance work ‘La Fornarina’ painted between 1518 and 1519 depicts his muse and their relationship was later captured in oils by Jean-Auguste-Dominique-Ingres.
The other oval plaque displaying Dante is inscribed with ‘Dante e Beatrice’ and sees the poet alongside a woman identified as his muse, Beatrice Portinari. Their relationship was later captured in oils by Henry Holiday.
Each affixed with hooks to the back, these Grand Tour interest plaques will look stunning on an interior wall.
