Bernardo de' Rossi, died 1527, Bishop of Treviso 1499, Governor of Bologna 1519-1523 [obverse]

c. 1519

Follower of Francesco Francia

Associated Names
Anonymous Artist

Sculptor

Francesco Francia

Related Artist, Bolognese, c. 1450/1453 - 1517

The sculpture is a circular medal featuring a portrait in profile of an individual. The figure is wearing a cap and a robe with distinct folds. The sculpture is made of a bronze-like metal, giving it an antique appearance. It is designed to appear flat and disk-like, with a raised edge and inscriptions running around the circular border. The lettering and the portrayal of the figure are both finely rendered. The piece has a small circular hole at the top.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    brass

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 6.54 cm (2 9/16 in.)
    gross weight: 130.81 gr (0.288 lb.)
    axis: 6:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.780.a

Associated Artworks

The sculpture on the surface of this coin depicts a robed figure standing in a chariot pulled by an eagle. The figure holds a staff and faces left, with one arm draped across the midsection. The coin is made of a metallic material, likely bronze, giving it a dark gold color with patina tinges accentuating the details. It has intricate designs on both the figure and the chariot wheels, featuring floral patterns. The background is smooth, highlighting the raised designs, with text encircling the top half of the coin.

Figure in a Car Drawn by a Dragon and an Eagle [reverse]

Anonymous Artist

1519


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

1883

  • Armand, Alfred. Les médailleurs italiens des quinzième et seizième siècles. 2nd ed. 3 vols. Paris, 1883-1887: 2:105, no. 19; 3:32, F.

1930

  • Hill, George Francis. A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance before Cellini. 2 vols. London, 1930: no. 612.

1931

  • Hill, George Francis. The Gustave Dreyfus Collection: Renaissance Medals. Oxford, 1931: no. 187.

1951

  • National Gallery of Art. Renaissance Bronzes: Statuettes, Reliefs and Plaquettes, Medals and Coins from the Kress Collection. Introduction by Perry B. Cott. Washington, 1951: 173.

1967

  • Hill, George Francis, and Graham Pollard. Renaissance Medals from the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art. London, 1967: no. 187.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: nos. 215, 216, color repro.

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 209, repro.

Inscriptions

around circumference: BER[nardus] RV[beus] CO[mes] B[erceti] EP[iscopu]S TAR[visinus] LE[gatus] BO[noniae] VIC[arius] GV[bernator] ET PRAE[fectus]

Wikidata ID

Q63847572

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