The Cog Boat Borne by Mercury, Hercules, Minerva and Neptune

Artus Quellinus I (1609–1668), Amsterdam, c. 1652, terracotta

Visible traces of the sculptor can be discerned in this freely modelled bozzetto (clay sketch) for the crowning element of a pump: fingerprints, sharp, deep grooves and tiny holes made by the sculpting tools to suggest depth, and short parallel lines from a serrated spatula to enliven the surface. These accents are comparable to hatching in drawings.

  • Artwork typesculpture, model
  • Object numberBK-AM-51-10
  • Dimensionsheight 31.7 cm x width 29.5 cm x depth 24 cm
  • Physical characteristicsterracotta