Andrea Gritti on Horseback before a Breached City Wall [reverse]

1512/1516

Giovanni Falier

Associated Names
Giovanni Falier

Artist, Venetian, active first half 16th century

The sculpture is a circular medallion featuring a relief scene. Two figures are depicted - one on horseback and the other standing, potentially gesturing. The background shows architectural elements like towers and arches. The medallion is crafted from metal with a brown hue, likely bronze. Detailed engravings show the figures and the structures. Text is inscribed along the upper and lower edges. There is a small hole at the top for hanging or wearing.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 6.57 cm (2 9/16 in.)
    gross weight: 105.5 gr (0.233 lb.)
    axis: 12:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.749.b

Associated Artworks

The sculpture is a medallion featuring the profile of a man with wavy hair that falls to his collar, depicted in a side view, looking to the left. He appears to be dressed in a garment that resembles a robe or toga with detailed folds, and possibly embellished with a decorative clasp on the shoulder. The medallion is crafted from a material that has a bronze-like appearance, exhibiting a warm brownish color with a slightly aged patina. Around the edge of the medallion, there is an inscription in capital letters, "ANDREAE GRITIO PROCVR D MARCI." The sculpted form is relatively flat, with a small hole at the top.

Andrea Gritti, Procurator of St. Mark's, later Doge of Venice [obverse]

Giovanni Falier

1512

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

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. 178, repro.

Inscriptions

across top: OPT[ime] DE PATRIA MERITO; across bottom: GRAT[ia] CIV[ium]

Wikidata ID

Q63847637

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