Moderno: Bronze Plaque Hercules And Cacus / The Flight Of The Herd Of Geryon, Padua, 16th Century

Rare rectangular plate after Moderno, representing Hercules having the oxen of Geryon stolen by Cacus.

The plate is rectangular, with a beautiful old brown patina. It represents Hercules sleeping in the foreground while Cacus steals the oxen by pulling them by the tail in order to make them walk backwards and deceive a tracker. The whole takes place in a cave landscape, trees and a city in the background, typical of Moderno.

The upper part is inscribed "O • MODERNI" for Opus Moderni, meaning "work of Moderno".

Moderno has often been identified with Galeazzo Mondella, a goldsmith from Verona born in 1467 and who died in 1527, but the latest research by a famous Louvre curator does not point in this direction.

Moderno is cited by Francisco de Hollanda in his 1548 treatise on ancient painting among the "eagles", i.e. the four great artists of the Italian Renaissance, along with Valerio Belli, Benvenuto Cellini and Caradosso Foppa.

The back is inscribed hs 5917 in black ink.

The cast is of excellent quality with many details, of superior quality to the examples that can be found in the Louvre.
This model is quite rare, we more generally find copies of Hercules fighting the Nemean lion or kisses of peace.

Superb and rare booklet, beautiful testimony to the state of mind of the men of the Renaissance.



7.1 x 5.3cm
About 3mm thick

70.3 grams


Superb condition.

Hand-delivered in Paris or sent by insured colissimo.

France: 15
Europe: 20
World: 35