Meleager

Antico was one of the finest masters of bronze sculpture of the late 1400s and early 1500s. He trained as a goldsmith and was court artist to three generations of the Gonzaga dynasty. He primarily worked in Mantua, but was also at Gianfrancesco’s castle at Bozzolo in the late 1480s. The Gonzaga court cultivated humanist ideals and attracted renowned artists to Mantua. Notable among them was the painter Andrea Mantegna, who maintained a particularly high status. Mantegna’s style and interest in ancient Roman art influenced many other artists, and he provided designs for them to follow. Antico was no doubt among them.

It was in this artistic atmosphere that Antico developed a sophisticated technique of reproducing small-scale bronzes. This involved taking moulds from his original model and casting the statuettes from them. The moulds could be reused. Antico was therefore able to provide copies of several of his bronzes about 20 years after he had made the originals. He did this for Isabella d’Este, who was a great patron of the arts. This is, however, the only known version of the Meleager. The figure’s hair, moustache, beard, teeth, tunic and sandals are inlaid with silver. This rich decorative treatment is characteristic of Antico’s work and reflects the taste of his Gonzaga patrons. It contrasts with the rougher but more vibrant handling of bronzes produced at the time in the humanist circle at Padua.