Pietro Bembo, 1470-1547, Cardinal 1538, Venetian Philologist, Poet and Belletrist [obverse]

after 1538

Italian 16th Century

Associated Names
Italian 16th Century

Sculptor

The image shows a profile relief sculpture of a bearded man facing right. The subject wears a robe with a collar and button details near the shoulder. The sculpture appears to be made of bronze or copper, with a brown color and metallic sheen. The surface shows a smooth texture with areas of wear and patina. The relief is surrounded by embossed letters spelling "PETRVS•BEMBVS•CΛR" in a circular arrangement. The artwork is a medallion depicting a detailed portrait of the man, capturing his likeness with intricate sculpting of his hair, eyes, nose, and beard.

Media Options

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On View

West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G16

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    bronze

  • Credit Line

    Samuel H. Kress Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 5.6 cm (2 3/16 in.)
    gross weight: 58.4 gr (0.129 lb.)
    axis: 6:00

  • Accession Number

    1957.14.1015.a

Associated Artworks

The image shows a round bronze relief sculpture of a Pegasus. The Pegasus is depicted in a dynamic pose, rearing up on its hind legs with its wings outstretched. The sculpture is cast in bronze, giving it a warm, metallic brown color with a smooth texture. The Pegasus appears as a raised relief within the circular medallion. The feathers of the wings and the flowing mane and tail are intricately detailed.

Pegasus on the Fountain Hippocrene [reverse]

Italian 16th Century

1538

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. 484b.

1983

  • Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 128, no. 1.

2007

  • Pollard, John Graham. Renaissance Medals. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. 2 vols. Washington, 2007: 1:no. 562, repro.

Inscriptions

around top circumference: PETRI BEMBI CAR[dinalis]

Wikidata ID

Q63851347

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