Charles V
| Artist | Leone Leoni (Italian, 1509–1590) |
|---|---|
| Title | Charles V |
| Date | Ca. 1550 |
| Medium | Gilt bronze |
| Dimensions | Overall (bust only): 8 3/8 x 5 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. (21.3 x 14.6 x 8.9 cm) Overall1: 13 3/8 x 5 3/4 x 4 1/2 in. (34 x 14.6 x 11.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 70.47 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A portrait bust of an older, bearded man. He is adorned with a gilt laurel wreath on his head and a chain representing an order of chivalry at his neck. The dark, lacquered bronze captures his stoic expression and the bust is mounted on a lighter marble base.
In this masterful portrait bust by renowned goldsmith Leone Leoni, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V’s crown of laurel leaves and toga link him to ancient Roman emperors. He also wears the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece—a chivalric order aligned with the Roman Catholic Church—indicating his commitment to Catholicism at a time when Europe was in the throes of the Protestant Reformation.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Charles V | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=70.47