Portrait Bust of a Woman — After Francesco Laurana (ca. 1472)

Medium: Terracotta (painted and gilded)
Dimensions: H 44.5 cm (17.5 in) × W 43.2 cm (17 in) × D 20.3 cm (8 in)
Place of Origin: Italy
Date: circa 1890

This remarkable late 19th-century bust pays homage to one of the most celebrated female portrait busts of the Renaissance, originally attributed to Francesco Laurana (c. 1430–1502). The serene, downturned gaze, smooth modelling, and elegant courtly attire embody Laurana’s refined sculptural style, renowned for its fusion of idealised beauty and aristocratic poise.

The sitter has been tentatively identified as Ippolita Maria Sforza (1446–1484), wife of Alfonso II of Naples, although this attribution remains unconfirmed. This portrait belongs to a small group of nine female busts associated with Laurana, their stylistic resemblance linked to documented sculptures of the Virgin and Child created in Sicily. Closely related examples are held in major museum collections including The Frick Collection in New York and National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

The marble original was formerly housed in Staatliche Museen zu Berlin but was tragically destroyed in 1945. Historical accounts record that it bore traces of rich polychromy and gilding, with delicately incised patterns on the gown and a cartouche likely bearing the sitter’s name. A small hole at the breast once held a metal brooch or pendant, completing the refined courtly ensemble.

This bust — exquisitely hand-painted and gilded in terracotta — preserves the quiet dignity and aristocratic grace of Laurana’s original. Its decorative base, featuring reclining classical figures and winged cupids, is characteristic of the sculptor’s elegant fusion of humanist ideals and courtly splendour. A superb collector’s piece, it stands at the intersection of Renaissance history and 19th-century craftsmanship.