Bust of a Young Boy

Portrait busts, inspired by ancient Roman examples, were popular in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Three busts (one in Venice, in Berlin, and in New York) of young boys of noble lineage by Gian Cristoforo Romano are among the few examples of portraits rather than simple generic images of children in Renaissance sculpture.

The bust of a boy about eight years old in New York wears a gold chain that makes two wide loops around his neck. Similarly to the other two boys, he wears an expensive jacket made from heavy cloth over a linen shirt that protrudes above the neckline. He has hair that reaches down to his shoulders.