Saltcellar of Francis I

The saltcellar of King Francis I of France was made by Florentine sculptor Benvenuto Cellini in the early 1540s. Although Cellini also did larger sculpture in bronze, he was first a goldsmith. In his Autobiography, Cellini wrote that the two figures in this piece were “fashioned like a woman with all the beauty of form, the grace and charm, of which my art was capable.” The piece is 26 by 33.3 cm (10.25 by 13.1 in) and is now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York

Appears in these articles:

Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Mannerism; Renaissance; Metalwork; Cellini, Benvenuto; Renaissance Art and Architecture

*	Exclusively for MSN Encarta Premium Subscribers. Join Now