The group echoes the new harmonies that Raphael and his school brought to painting. Suggestive comparisons exist in Raphael-esque Madonnas engraved by Giulio Bonasone and Gian Giacomo Caraglio (who doubled as an engraver of hardstones), but the graceful composition is apparently unique to this piece. The cityscape in the background is executed in intaglio. The irregular chestnut-hued translucent band around the edge of the stone is void, probably because it was meant to be embedded in a gold setting.

Black dotted ground with central gold rectangle superimposed on various colored geometric shapes (turquoise, green, red, orange, yellow, pink, gold and lilac). Above and below rectangle are red and green jagged forms. Small green and pink squiggles on black ground near sides. Backed with plain black cotton.

These figures originally may have been part of a reliquary or perhaps a scene of the Nativity.

Su fondo laminato in taffetas prodotto da un ordito e una trama di fondo legata in diagonale direzione S e da una trama supplementare in oro filato, anima in seta gialla/opera per trame broccate in seta marrone e verde

The stylized floral design of this textile is delineated by fine lines of green silk velvet; the rest of the surface is covered with gold metal-wrapped threads, lying flat in the background and forming loops in the plant forms. The large flowering plant in the center and the vine that surrounds it can be identified as Sempervivum tectorum (now commonly known as "hens and chicks"), a species of hardy succulent that has the ability to thrive in extreme mountainous conditions. Recent research has revealed that this plant motif was associated with the Sforza family of Milan starting in the mid-fifteenth century. Variations on this pattern were also produced as monochrome pile-on-pile silk velvets and the Museum has red and green examples.

One of the major glyptic artists working in Milan during the second half of the sixteenth century, Fontana engraved exquisitely luminous Late Mannerist scenes from classical mythology and biblical subjects in rock crystal. A casket, set with Fontana's rock-crystal plaques and made for Albrecht V, duke of Bavaria (r. 1550–79), can still to be seen in the Schatzkammer of the Munich Residenz. The Metropolitan Museum's medallion is one of a series of six surviving rock crystals engraved with episodes from the story of Hercules; the medallions were removed from a casket, now destroyed, that once belonged to the Gonzaga duke of Mantua, Vincenzo I (r. 1587–1612). The casket, ornamented with gold and pearls, would have been highly valued as a splendid example of Milanese goldsmiths' work, as well as of intaglio engraving.

Damasco prodotto da un ordito di fondo in rosso e una trama di fondo in seta celeste, opera data da fondo faccia catena, disegno faccia trama

The head of a Roman Empreror at Saint Catherine's feet symbolizes her defeat of paganism. Her relaxed pose and serene expression, combined with the broken wheel on which she was tortured, convey her acceptance of her Christian martyrdom. Her coiffure and clothing are suggestive of classical Greek statuary, and might allude to her life in the eastern Roman Empire. This work's profuse classical references demonstrate the mastery of the antique style for which Solari was renowned. Though probably carved in Milan, the figure may have been inspired by statues of the Virtues on Tullio Lombardo's Vendramin monument, just completed when Solari first visited Venice.[Peter J. Bell, 2015]

One of a pair with 32.100.237.  From a series of twelve plaques depicting the deeds of Hercules made for a casket of rock crystal, ebony, and gold, mounted with jewels.

1520~ / 1530~, Milan

1520~ / 1530~, Milan

Description