The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 19, 2024
Henri II, King of France, at the age of 28
1547
(French, active 1543–48)
Sheet: 41.3 x 29.3 cm (16 1/4 x 11 9/16 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Robert-Dumesnil 5 (IX.183)
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Henry II loved finely embossed parade armor. He died at the age of 41 after having his eye put out during a tournament.Description
Comparing Renaissance princes with distinguished ancient leaders was a common theme in laudatory speeches, literature, and art. In commemoration of Henri II’s coronation as King of France (reigned 1547–59), Nicolo della Casa portrayed the monarch as a valiant Roman general. Crowned with a laurel wreath, the king’s head is in full profile, the traditional format used on ancient coins and engraved gems. He wears a muscled ceremonial cuirass, its breastplate heavily ornamented with war trophies, mermaids, and fighting tritons. The historicized armor, derived from antique imperial portraits and figures of the war-god Mars, creates a powerful and timeless image of the French sovereign.- Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, Settrington, County of York (departmental card). gift, 1946
- Gods and Heroes: Ancient Legends in Renaissance Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26-December 31, 2017).Design and Decoration: Ornament Prints. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 7-October 28, 1990).Master Goldsmiths of the Renaissance: Their Models and Designs. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 2, 1982-March 20, 1983).French Prints and Drawings in the Age of the Bourbons, 1589-1792. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 2-May 16, 1982).Old Master Prints and Drawings. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 29, 1966-February 28, 1967).Prints and Drawings from the Cleveland Museum of Art Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 6-September 9, 1965).Department of Prints and Drawings Opening Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (March 3, 1958-October 11, 1959).35th Anniversary Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 20-September 30, 1951).
- {{cite web|title=Henri II, King of France, at the age of 28|url=false|author=Nicolo della Casa|year=1547|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1946.308