This white marble foot is positioned on a rectangular marble base. The foot’s orientation shows that the sculpture is a right foot and ankle. There appears to be a thin layer of marble under the foot, resembling an orthotic. The outer view shows the ankle bone and clear definition of the Achilles tendon. The inner view of the foot shows a fairly high arch and defined ankle bone. From the front view, the first two toes are slightly parted, revealing the layer below the foot. From the top view, the foot appears to be long. The rear view reveals clear definition of the ankle. The marble base is rectangular with flat corners and its coloring is various shades of terra cotta.
Italian
Foot,
16th century
Marble
,
10.2 x 17.8 cm (4 x 7 in.)
Object details
Accession number
S16s31
Primary Creator
Italian
Full title
Foot
Creation Date
16th century
Provenance
Entered Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection by about 1897.
Dimensions
10.2 x 17.8 cm (4 x 7 in.)
Display Media
Marble
Web Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.
Permanent Gallery Location
Raphael Room
Bibliography
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 108. (as Graeco-Roman, probably 4th century BCE or later)Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), p. 176, no. 245. (as Italian, 16th century)Sebastian Smee. "A foot, poetic in its singularity." The Boston Globe (10 March 2015).
Rights and reproductions
The use of images, text, and all other media found on this website is limited. Please review Rights and Reproductions for details.
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.