Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Shield Bearer, ca. 1470–80. Copper alloy, with extensive traces of gilding, 8 13/16 × 3 3/4 × 2 3/4 in. (22.4 × 9.5 × 7 cm), Henry Clay Frick Bequest (1916.2.03) © The Frick Collection. Photo: Michael Bodycomb.

The Frick Collection presents the first-ever exhibition on the Florentine sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), a renowned student of Donatello, a teacher of Michelangelo, and a great favorite of Lorenzo “il Magnifico” de’ Medici, his principal patron. More than twenty statues, reliefs, medals, and statuettes — constituting nearly his entire extant oeuvre — are on view exclusively at the Frick, which houses the only sculptural figure by Bertoldo outside of Europe. The exhibition highlights the ingenuity of the artist’s designs across media, including bronze, wood, and terracotta, and provides the first chance to fully explore longstanding questions of attribution, function, groupings, and intended display. Bertoldo di Giovanni: The Renaissance of Sculpture in Medici Florence brings into focus the sculptor’s unique position at the heart of the artistic and political landscape in fifteenth-century Italy.

Bertoldo di Giovanni is the latest in a series of acclaimed Frick shows on Renaissance sculptors and is organized by Aimee Ng, Curator; Alexander J. Noelle, Anne L. Poulet Curatorial Fellow; and Xavier F. Salomon, Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator; with the assistance of Julia Day, Conservator, who coordinated and conducted extensive scientific analysis of the objects. This important project is the result of a creative partnership with a major lender to the exhibition, the esteemed Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.

The accompanying catalogue, published in association with D Giles Ltd, London, and featuring contributions from an international group of scholars, is by far the most substantial text on Bertoldo ever produced.

Major support for the exhibition is provided by the Robert H. Smith Family Foundation, Margot and Jerry Bogert, Mrs. Daniel Cowin in honor of Ian Wardropper, The Melanie and Matthew McLennan Foundation, and Peter Marino Architect. Additional funding is generously provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Peter D. Pritchard, Dino & Raffaello Tomasso, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Dr. Stephen K. Scher and Janie Woo Scher, the Malcolm Hewitt Wiener Foundation, and Daniel Katz.

September 18, 2019 to January 12, 2020

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Shield Bearer, ca. 1470–80. Copper alloy, with extensive traces of gilding, 8 13/16 × 3 3/4 × 2 3/4 in. (22.4 × 9.5 × 7 cm), Henry Clay Frick Bequest (1916.2.03) © The Frick Collection. Photo: Michael Bodycomb.

 Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Orpheus, ca. 1471. Bronze, 17 1/8 in. (43.5 cm), Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence (349B), Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali; photo Mauro Magliani.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Hercules on Horseback, ca. 1470–75. Bronze, 10 3/4 in. (27.2 cm), Gallerie Estensi, Modena (2265), Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali / Archivio fotografico delle Gallerie Estensi / photo Carlo Vannini

Designed by Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), executed by Adriano Fiorentino (ca. 1450/60–1499), Bellerophon Taming Pegasus, ca. 1480–82. Bronze, 12 3/4 in. (32.5 cm), Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Kunstkammer (KK 5596), KHM-Museumsverband. Photo: KHM-Museumsverband.

After Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Supplicant, 1475–80. Plaster cast (after a bronze original) with paint, 9 1/2 × 4 in. (24 × 10 cm), Made for the Frick by the Gipsformerei, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany, 2018. Original sculpture: The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow (3C 197), transferred after World War II; until 1945 Skulpturensammlung, Staatliche Museen, Berlin (2338). Photo Michael Bodycomb

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Battle, ca. 1480–85. Bronze, 17 3/4 × 39 1/8 in. (45 × 99.5 cm), Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence (258B), Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali; photo Mauro Magliani.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Virgin and Child with Angels, ca. 1470. Bronze, 10 1/2 × 5 9/16 in. (26.7 × 14.1 cm), Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des Objets d'Art (OA 9153) © RMN-Grand Palais / Stéphane Maréchalle / Art Resource, NY.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (Italian, ca. 1440–1491), Letizia Sanudo, ca. 1480. Gilt bronze, 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm), National Museum of Denmark (RP 1442). Inscription: DECVS / M V [The glory of the women of Venice]. Photo Rasmus Holst Nielsen

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Letizia Sanudo, ca. 1480. Bronze, 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm), Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris (AV 290). Inscription: LETICIA SANVTO M VENETA [Letizia Sanudo Venetian Lady]. Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Mehmed II (1433–81), ca. 1480. Bronze, 3 3/4 in. (9.4 cm), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst (5129).Inscription: MAVMhET ASIE AC TRAPESVNZIS MAGNE QVE GRETIE IMPERAT. [Mehmed, Emperor of Asia, Trebizond, and Magna Graecia]. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; photo Karsten Dahmen.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Mehmed II (1433–81), ca. 1480. Bronze, 3 3/4 in. (9.4 cm), Gallerie Estensi, Modena (9105). Inscription: Above the three bound female figures, GRETIE / TRAPESVNTY / ASIE [Greece / Trebizond / Asia]; at bottom, OPVS / bERTOLDI / FLORENTIN / SCVLTOR / IS [The work of Bertoldo Florentine sculptor]. Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali / Archivio fotografico delle Gallerie Estensi / photo Valeria Beltrami.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Antonio Graziadei (d. 1492), ca. 1480. Bronze, 2 3/8 in. (6 cm), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Münzkabinett (18263094). Inscription: ANTONIVS GRATIA DEI CAESAREVS ORATOR : MORTALIVM CVRA : [Antonio Graziadei, orator of the emperor : the care of human affairs :]. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; photo Karsten Dahmen.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Antonio Graziadei (d. 1492), ca. 1480. Bronze, 2 1/2 in. (6 cm), National Gallery of Art, Washington, Samuel H. Kress Collection (1957.14.844). Inscription: VOLENTEM DVCVNT / NOLENTEM TRAhVNT [They lead the willing and drag the unwilling]. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Emperor Frederick III (1413–93), 1469. Bronze, 2 1/8 in. (5.7 cm), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Münzkabinett (18263093). Inscription: CXXII EQVITES CREAT KALEN / DI IANVARI MCCCCLXIX [One hundred and twenty-two knights created on the Kalends of January 1469]. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; photo Karsten Dahmen.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Emperor Frederick III (1413–93), 1469. Bronze, 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm). Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Assunta Sommella Peluso, Ignazio Peluso, Ada Peluso and Romano I. Peluso, 2010 (2010.417.1). Inscription: FREdERIGVS TERCIVS / AVGVSTVS ROMANORVM IMPERATOR SENPER [Frederick III, Emperor of the Romans, Perpetual Augustus]. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Art Resource, NY

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Filippo de' Medici (1426–74), Archbishop of Pisa, ca. 1470. Bronze, 2 1/8 in. (5.7 cm)n Frances Beatty and Allen Adler (A109). Inscription: PHYLIPPVS DE MEDICIS ARCHIEPISCHOPVS PISANVS [Filippo de' Medici Archbishop of Pisa]. Photo Michael Bodycomb.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), Filippo de' Medici (1426–74), Archbishop of Pisa, ca. 1470. Bronze, 2 1/4 in. (5.6 cm), Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence (5959). Inscription: ET IN CARNE MEA VIDEBO / DEVM SALVATOREM / MEVM [And in my flesh I shall see God my savior]. Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali; photo Mauro Magliani.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), The Pazzi Conspiracy, 1478. Bronze, 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm), Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection, New York. Inscription: IVLIANVS MEDICES / LVCTVS PVBLICVS [Giuliano de' Medici / public mourning]. © The Frick Collection

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), The Pazzi Conspiracy, 1478. Bronze, 2 5/8 in. (6.5 cm), Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence (5957). Inscription: LAVRENTIVS MEDICES / SALVS PVBLICA [Lorenzo de' Medici / public safety]. Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali; photo Mauro Magliani.

Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491) and collaborators, Frieze for the Portico of Villa Medici at Poggio a Caiano, ca. 1490. Glazed terracotta. Overall: 22 7/8 × 571 1/4 in. (58.1 × 1451 cm), Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano, Polo Museale della Toscana, Gabinetto Fotografico delle Gallerie degli Uffizi.

Probably Donatello (ca. 1386–1466) and Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491), St. Jerome, ca. 1465–66. Wood, gesso, and paint, 57 7/8 × 13 3/4 × 10 1/4 in. (147 × 35 × 26 cm), Pinacoteca Comunale, Faenza (168),Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali, Opificio delle Pietre Dure di Firenze