The Getty Museum established its Sculpture Department in 1984. Since then its holdings have grown to encompass some 170 works of European sculpture ranging in date from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century, with particular strengths in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century bronzes and Neoclassical works in marble and terracotta. Although the collection boasts many works by renowned sculptors, it is also distinguished by objects of high aesthetic quality and historical interest by lesser-known artists.

The present volume focuses on Italian and Spanish sculpture in the Museum’s collection, including such exceptional works as Antico’s Bust of a Young Man, Benvenuto Cellini’s Satyr, Gianlorenzo Bernini’s Boy with a Dragon, Giuliano Finelli’s Bust of a Noblewoman, and Antonio Canova’s Apollo Crowning Himself. In addition to presenting copious information about the history and iconography of the sculptures, much of it based on new findings, Italian and Spanish Sculpture includes detailed discussions of the manufacture, materials, and condition of each work. The technical descriptions in the catalogue entries are complemented by appendixes containing X-rays of selected sculptures and analyses of the bronze alloys. The catalogue is abundantly illustrated, including multiple views of each sculpture.