Robert Briconnet, President of the Court of Inquiry [obverse]

1488/1493

Giovanni Candida

Associated Names
Giovanni Candida

Artist, Italian, French school, before 1450 - c. 1499

The sculpture is a relief portrait of a man wearing a cap or hat, shown in profile facing to the right. He wears period clothing. It appears to be made of a reddish-brown metal, likely bronze, with a slightly oxidized surface. The relief has well-defined details. An inscription along the circumference suggests a commemorative purpose. The overall shape is circular, resembling a medallion or coin.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze//Possibly not contemporary

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 6.16 cm (2 7/16 in.)
    gross weight: 68.9 gr (0.152 lb.)
    axis: 6:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.822.a

Associated Artworks

The sculpture is in the form of a circular object resembling a medallion or coin featuring an inscription. The inscription reads "MARCET SINE ADVERSARIO VIR TUS" arranged in five lines with varying spacing. The sculpture appears to be made of a metallic material. The color is a mix of dark brown and copper hues with an aged patina. The edges of the medallion are slightly raised, highlighting the round shape and adding subtle depth to the piece. The overall appearance gives it an antique or classical feel.

Inscription [reverse]

Giovanni Candida

1488

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

1967

  • Hill, George Francis, and Graham Pollard. Renaissance Medals from the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art. London, 1967: no. 228.

1983

  • Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 196, no. 5.

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 257, repro.

Inscriptions

around circumference: ROB[ertus] BRICONET PARLAMENTI INQVESTAR[um] PRESID[ens]

Wikidata ID

Q63847408

You may be interested in

Loading Results