Italian, Venice
Dolphin from a Fountain, 17th century
Istrian Stone, 94 x 34.3 x 57.2 cm (37 x 13 1/2 x 22 1/2 in.)
This fish-like creature is positioned vertically on a stone slab, with its head at the bottom and its tail up. Its snout-like nose is prominent and its mouth is open, revealing a few sharp teeth. Its bulging forehead is smooth, but the back of its head has a ruffle design. The design continues onto what appear to be serrated fins flowing from either side of the head right below the large round eyes. The dolphin’s body swirls in an “S” shape up the vertical slab. Its tail ends in a truncated fin, with two additional small side fins. Several spikes are distributed along its spine. Otherwise, the creature has no pelvic, pectoral, or dorsal fins.
Courtyard
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.