Models, materials, and modifications: a close look at Jacopo Sansovino’s Lucretia

Close looking and scientific investigation of a sculpture can lead to exciting new insight into the artist’s methods. Careful examination of Lucretia, a gilded wood statuette produced by Italian sculptor and architect Jacopo Sansovino around 1508 – 12 has shed new light on his creative process and artistic choices.

The statue was thought to be French when it entered the V&A collection in 1962 and was little studied until its conservation and analysis in the 1980s. While Lucretia has now been associated with Sansovino for a few decades, it is only recently that scholar Lorenzo Principi has argued for the attribution, which scholar and curator Bruce Boucher also supports.

During my PhD placement at the V&A, I had the opportunity to study Lucretia closely and consult conservation reports and scientific analyses. Based on these findings and my own observations, I believe Lucretia is a testament to Sansovino’s attention to detail and demonstrates his eagerness to push the boundaries of materials through experimentation.

Lucretia, a heroine from a Roman legend, is depicted here in the moment before she plunges a dagger through her heart. Though the blade has broken off, her right fist grips remnants of the hilt. With her arm outstretched, furrowed brows, lips parted, and legs positioned as if stepping forward, Lucretia is frozen in this intense moment.

The only other known gilded small-scale works by Sansovino are the Descent from the Cross, also in the V&A’s collection, and the Virgin and Child in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, both of which were used as models for Italian painters. Lucretia probably also served as a model, though we have not yet identified what it may have been a reference for.

Material choices

Material analysis conducted by V&A conservation scientist Jo Darrah in 1982 revealed that the entire base and body were carved from one piece of poplar wood, and Lucretia’s robe and head covering are made of linen dipped in glue.

By contrast, the figures of the Virgin and Child are modelled entirely of wax and covered with linen dipped in glue and wax, and the Descent from the Cross is rendered from wood and wax, with some details in wax built up around a metal armature.

This diversity of techniques indicates that Sansovino employed a variety of materials and fabrication methods for making each model. Could model production have been an opportunity for him to explore new ways of rendering realistic figures in different media?

Dressing Lucretia

Since glue is lightweight, using it for Lucretia’s robe allowed Sansovino to create intricate, well-defined folds.

At first glance, her robe appears effortlessly tied at the waist and draped loosely over her body, slipping off the right side of her chest.

A close look reveals the draping is far from accidental. The robe is deliberately arranged to contour her movements and fit the narrative of the story. The linen clings to her legs and parts at her left thigh, accentuating her step forward. Her right sleeve falls elegantly down from her arm, drawing the viewer’s attention to her movement as she holds the dagger out.

Though these details are subtle, they seem to bring Lucretia to life. Sansovino clearly took care to position the drapery in such a way that not only looked real but helped the story unfold.

Perfecting the pose

Alterations to the sculpted wooden body also reflect the sculpture’s experimental nature. After carving the wood, Sansovino adjusted the position of Lucretia’s right arm, head, and neck, meticulously positioning her body to dramatize her movements.

In her 2000 article Draping Lucretia: a sculptor’s use of cloth in the early 16^th century, former V&A conservator Anne Brodrick suggested that the head and neck were repositioned to tilt down to the right, directing Lucretia’s gaze to her outstretched right arm, which was also repositioned. This is evident in an X-radiograph showing cut lines, a broken nail fragment left in the base of the neck, and remnants of an earlier join in the right shoulder.

Modifications to the finger

Sansovino’s attention to detail is perhaps most evident in Lucretia’s left hand. Her hand curls around her robe, the edge of which is carefully wedged between the pointer and middle finger. This small yet intentional choice gives the impression she is pulling the robe to uncover her heart before plunging the dagger.

Upon close examination, I noticed what appeared to be a break line in the pointer finger. Looking at the X-radiograph, I found that finger was cut off and reattached.

I believe this was done to place the linen beneath the finger. This subtle modification makes her gesture of pulling away the robe more realistic.

Looking further

The wonderful intricacy of Lucretia suggests that smaller scale sculptures were an opportunity for Sansovino to experiment with materials, forms, and structure. Observations on the statuette also prompt further questions: Was Lucretia created purely as an artistic experiment? What other materials did Sansovino explore in other works? Were other sculptures created with as much refinement?  

Such questions highlight the importance of visual analysis. Continued research and close looking will reveal further insights into Sansovino’s creative process and deepen our understanding of his captivating sculptures.