Master of the Orpheus Legend (late 15th century), The Birth of Athena, bronze plaquette, Zeus leans forward on a curule chair with Athena emerging from his head; on left, Vulcan stands, bearing an axe; and on the right is an eagle standing on a plinth with an olive branch in its beak; a thunderbolt on the ground, 44mm (Molinier -; Bange 319 = Bode, Bertoldo p. 46), pierced, area of solder on reverse, fine early cast, very rare, the reverse with an inked inscription. Both Bange and Bode attributed this rare plaquette (not listed in Molinier and the only recorded example appearing to be the one in Berlin, also 44mm) to Bertoldo di Giovanni (c.1440-91). It belongs to a series of plaquettes with classical scenes, three of which depict Orpheus, and the attribution to Bertoldo is no longer accepted. In mythology Zeus was the father of Athena and swallowed Metis, Athena’s mother, fearing that any child of their union would overthrow him. He developed a terrible headache and asked Vulcan to cut open his head to cure him whereupon Athena emerged, fully-grown and dressed in armour.
Estimate: 700 - 1000