Artwork
Bust of Domitia Calvilla
Bust of Domitia Calvilla is a print by the Renaissance artist Sebald Beham. It dates from 1546 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The name at the top reads *Domitia Calvilla*, and the year 1546 is stamped in the corner.
This is a black-and-white drawing of a woman’s head and shoulders. She wears a fancy hairstyle with curls under a net-like cap. Her hair is pulled back neatly, and she has a calm, serious look. Around her head is a wreath of leaves and berries, framing her face like a crown.
The name at the top reads *Domitia Calvilla*, and the year 1546 is stamped in the corner. The artist’s initials, *HSB*, are also visible. The wreath looks like laurel, which was often used in portraits to show honor or victory.
If you like this style, look up Renaissance.
Overview
Bust of Domitia Calvilla is a 1546 print by Hans Sebald Beham, a prominent German artist of the 'Little Masters' group. The work features a classical portrait bust of a woman, blending Renaissance interests in classical forms and portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, Domitia Calvilla, is depicted with a serene expression, adorned with a laurel wreath connoting honor or achievement. Her hairstyle, neatly pulled back under a net-like cap with curls, reflects contemporary fashionable elegance.
Technique & Style
Executed as a black-and-white drawing, the piece showcases Beham's skill in detailed, small-scale compositions, characteristic of his engravings and the 'Little Masters' aesthetic.
History & Provenance
Created in 1546, the print bears Beham's initials (HSB) and the year of creation, highlighting the artist's practice of signing his works. The specific provenance history is not detailed here.
Context
Part of the Renaissance's broader revival of classical motifs, this work aligns with the period's fascination with antiquity and portraiture, though its direct connections to specific classical sources are not explicitly stated.
Legacy
As a work by a 'Little Master,' it contributes to the legacy of German printmaking in the 16th century, though its individual impact on the broader art historical canon is not specifically highlighted in available information.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings.
