The Plaster Copies of the Farnese Colossi in the Brera Gipsoteca

Abstract

Once considered inexpensive and low-quality substitutes, plaster casts are now recognized as an integral part of art history and are gradually emerging from storage to reclaim their place in museum halls and galleries. The main aim of this article, besides contributing to the ongoing reassessment of plaster casts, is to examine two of the oldest and most significant plaster sculptures preserved at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan: the casts of the Hercules Farnese and the Flora Farnese.