Justice, Peace, and Abundance [reverse]

c. 1485

Attributed to Niccolò Fiorentino

Associated Names
Niccolò Fiorentino

Sculptor, Florentine, 1430 - 1514

The image is a round sculptural relief depicting three female figures in classical attire. The figure on the left holds scales and a sword, the central figure holds an olive branch, and the figure on the right holds a cornucopia. The relief is bronze in color with Latin inscriptions reading "IVSTITIA," "PAX," and "COPIA" corresponding to "Justice," "Peace," and "Abundance." The figures are finely detailed with distinct features and wear laurel wreaths in their hairstyles. The relief is relatively small with a circular cutout near the edge.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 5.47 cm (2 1/8 in.)
    gross weight: 83.95 gr (0.185 lb.)
    axis: 1:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.852.b

Associated Artworks

The sculpture is a bronze medallion featuring a profile portrait of a man. He is depicted wearing an elaborate garment, with intricate details in the folds of the fabric and his hair. The medallion has a metallic sheen and a round shape with a small hole, indicating it may be designed for hanging. Raised, inscribed text surrounds the portrait on the outer edge, potentially offering context or identification.

Innocent VIII (Giovanni Battista Cibò, 1432-1492), Pope 1484 [obverse]

Niccolò Fiorentino

1485


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Aimé Charles) Horace His de la Salle [1795-1878], Paris; (his estate sale, Sotheby's, London, 22-25 November 1880, 1st day, no. 49); Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his heirs; purchased with the entire Dreyfus collection 9 July 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris); sold 31 January 1944 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[1] gift 1957 to NGA.
[1] The Duveen Brothers Records document the firm’s sixteen year pursuit and eventual acquisition of the Dreyfus collection, which included paintings, sculptures, small bronzes, medals, and plaquettes. Bequeathed as part of his estate to Dreyfus’ widow and five children (a son and four daughters), who had differing opinions about its disposition, the collection was not sold until after his widow’s death in April 1929. Duveen did not wish to separate Dreyfus’ collection of small bronzes, medals, and plaquettes, and it was sold intact to the Kress Foundation for a price that was met by installment payments every three months. (Duveen Brothers Records, accession number 960015, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles: reel 301, box 446, folders 3 and 4; reel 302, box 447, folders 1-6; reel 303, box 448, folders 1 and 2; reel 330, box 475, folder 4.) See also George Francis Hill’s discussion "A Note on Pedigrees" in his catalogue, The Gustave Dreyfus Collection: Renaissance Medals, Oxford, 1931: xii, which was commissioned by Duveen Brothers.

Associated Names

Bibliography

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 293, repro.

Inscriptions

around circumference: IVSTITIA PAX COPIA

Wikidata ID

Q63847418

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