Augustus and the Sibyl c. 1500

Andrea Riccio, who lived in Padua, Italy, around 1500, made this bronze relief panel. The panel shows the Roman Emperor Augustus meeting the Sibyl, a prophetess. What’s interesting is how Riccio made it. The details were carved into a mold, into which molten bronze was poured. This casting process, which would have involved many hands, allowed Riccio to produce multiple copies. Bronze itself was a valuable commodity. Now, think about this little panel in relation to others of its kind at the time. Many artists were making large bronze sculptures. But Riccio was making something different: small-scale, reproducible reliefs that were intended for a middle class audience. By emphasizing process and reproduction, Riccio blurred the lines between sculpture and design, art and craft. This panel is a reminder that materials, making, and social context are all crucial to understanding any work of art.