Prophet Balaam, Tommaso Porlezza della Porta, 1575 - 1577 terracotta (clay material), , Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, This sculpted modello or bozzetto is a design for a statue of the prophet Balaam intended for the basilica of the pilgrimage site of Loreto in Central Italy. The church was built around the Santa Casa, the house where, according to legend, the Virgin was born. The statuette stands out for its virtuoso modelling, as in the figure’s right arm and hand. It was long thought to be by Michelangelo. Dutch, The Netherlands,

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story of Balaam, son of Beor and a prophet, we find a man who professed obedience to the Lord, but grappled with a greedy heart.

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Size: 3898px × 7602px
Location: Dutch, The Netherlands,
Photo credit: © Peter Horree / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 1575, 1577, basilica, bozzetto, dutch, figures, italian, italy, loreto, michelangelo, modelling, modello, pilgrimage, sculpted, site, stands, statuette, terracotta, virtuoso