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Boy Pulling a Thorn from His Foot (Spinario)
This statuette is based on a famous Roman bronze statue of a boy sitting on a tree stump pulling a thorn ("spina") from his foot. The sculpture had been known since the 12th century, when it stood outside the Lateran Palace in Rome. At the end of the 15th century, it was transferred to the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill, where it can still be seen. The antique statue was much admired because of its graceful naturalism in depicting an intimate, human moment.
The style of modeling and treatment of the surfaces are those of the influential bronze founder and sculptor Severo da Ravenna, who produced small-scale copies of famous antique sculptures.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
J. E. Taylor Collection, London [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Sale, Christie's, London, July 1, 1912, no. 37; Arthur Sambon, Paris, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1928, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 2007-2008 | Déjà Vu? The Repeating Image in Renaissance and Baroque Art. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1995 | The Allure of Bronze. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1980 | Beyond Nobility: Art for the Private Citizen in the Early Renaissance. Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown. |
| 1963-1965 | The Mannerists. Fort Wayne Art Museum, Indiana, Fort Wayne; Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 11/1/1958 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 12/17/1963 | Treatment | repaired; loss compensation |
| 1/9/1967 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 8/24/1977 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 8/28/1979 | Loan Consideration | examined for loan |
Geographies
Italy, Padua (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 6 5/8 in. (16.9 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1928
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.71