Renaissance bronze Apollo donated to British nation to pay inheritance tax bill

The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge has received a significant addition to its collection, as a rare Italian Renaissance bronze sculpture, the Apollo Belvedere, has been donated to the nation in lieu of a £10.5 million inheritance tax bill. Created 500 years ago by Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, known as Antico, the bronze masterpiece will be showcased at the Fitzwilliam Museum, celebrated for its Renaissance and Baroque bronzes. 

The donation, facilitated through the government’s acceptance in lieu (AiL) scheme, enables individuals to settle inheritance tax by transferring culturally, scientifically, or historically significant objects to the nation. Over the past decade, this initiative has brought £479 million worth of artworks and objects into public ownership.

Antico’s Apollo Belvedere is a parcel-gilt bronze figure inlaid with silver eyes. Crafted around 1520-22, it is a miniature representation of the ancient Greek marble statue of Apollo, which dates back to the second century AD and stands over 7 feet tall. The bronze’s uniqueness lies in Antico’s ability to transform the ancient, solid, and remote marble sculpture into an exquisitely miniaturized, energized work of art. Luke Syson, Fitzwilliam’s director, emphasizes Antico’s skill in vividly bringing the past to life, turning a monumental work into a precious object that can be handled.

For more information see Harriet Sherwood “Renaissance bronze Apollo donated to British nation to pay inheritance tax bill”, The Guardian, December 12, 2023.

Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.