{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O154719"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O154719/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN7172/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN7172/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN7172","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB2033","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O154719/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O154719","accessionNumber":"3004-1856","objectType":"Panel","titles":[{"title":"Prudence","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This reliefn is attributed to the workshop of Desiderio da Settignano (1430-1464).\r\n\r\nThe relief depicts a three-faced image of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence. Erwin Panofsky was the first to explain the significance of the figure, noting its relationship of the iconography of Titian's \"Allegory of Prudence\". Oddly however, in this rendering there seems no allusion to the virtue of Prudence relying on knowing the past, the present and the future. \r\nThe three faces seem to have similar features and there is no obvious difference in their ages. There is, however, something rather reminiscent of contemporary representations of Christ in the half-closed eyes and slightly forked beard of the central figure that could lead one to speculate on possible associations between the \"trifrons\" Prudence and the Christian concept of the tripartite Holy Trinity. \r\nAs there is no trace of such a connection in the sources or commentaries of the period, however, it seems that any interpretation based on this possible association would be ill-founded.","physicalDescription":"Grey sandstone, carved in low relief, with a three headed bust, inscribed beneath \"PRVDENZA\". The front face that of a bearded man, the profile faces on each side younger.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"da Settignano, Desiderio","id":"A2380"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":"attributed to the workshop of"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sandstone","id":"AAT11376"}],"techniques":[{"text":"relief","id":"AAT53622"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Grey sandstone, carved in low relief","categories":[{"text":"Stoneware","id":"THES48890"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AN7172","2017KB2033"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES395149"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief prudence shown with triple head","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 15th century","earliest":"1450-01-01","latest":"1500-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"38.74","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"36.83","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"PRVDENZA","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"inscribed beneath"}],"objectHistory":"The relief depicts a three-faced image of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence. Erwin Panofsky was the first to explain the significance of the figure, noting its relationship of the iconography of Titian's \"Allegory of Prudence\". Oddly however, in this rendering there seems no allusion to the virtue of Prudence relying on knowing the past, the present and the future. The three faces seem to have similar features and there is no obvious difference in their ages. There is, however, something rather reminiscent of contemporary representations of Christ in the half-closed eyes and slightly forked beard of the central figure that could lead one to speculate on possible associations between the \"trifrons\" Prudence and the Christian concept of the tripartite Holy Trinity. As there is no trace of such a connection in the sources or commentaries of the period, however, it seems that any interpretation based on this possible association would be ill-founded.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Prudence - low relief in grey sandstone, showing triple head. Florentine, late 15th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1856. <u>In</u>: <u>Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I</u>. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 41."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Robinson, J.C. <u>Italian Sculpture of the Middle Ages and Period of the Revival of Art. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Works forming the above Section of the Museum, with additional Illustrative Notices</u>. London: Chapman and Hall, 1862, p. 25."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. <u>Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text</u>. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 40."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pope-Hennessy, John. <u>Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume I: Text. Eighth to Fifteenth Century</u>. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 145."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bellandi, Alfredo. \"Uno Stemma di Desiderio da Settignano.\" <u>Nuovi Studi</u>. 4, II, 1997, p. 33, n. 16"},{"reference":{"text":"Lippincott, Kristen (ed.), </i>The story of time</i> London, National Maritime Museum, 1999","id":"AUTH353427"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"<i>The Rival of Nature : Renaissance painting in its context</i>, London : National Gallery, 1975","id":"AUTH354465"},"details":"55","free":""}],"production":"Robinson (p. 25): \"Florentine quattro-cento sculpture. Master unknown\". Maclagan and Longhurst (p. 40) point out that the relief has some stylistic connection with the work of Antonio Rossellino. The handling is reminsicent of the Desiderio workshop, and the relief was probably produced by a member of the Desiderio studio active about 1460.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Prudence","id":"N4603"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"head","id":"x41705"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["3004-1856"],"accessionNumberNum":"3004","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1856,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-08","recordCreationDate":"2008-05-15","availableToBook":true}}