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The circular medallion depicts a lion standing on its hind legs with a small human figure on its back. The lion is shown with an open mouth and teeth visible. An inscription encircles the edge of the medallion. It appears to be made of metal, possibly bronze, with a brown color and green patina. It seems small enough to be held in a hand and has a small hole at the top, indicating it could be used as a pendant. The design includes intricate artwork of the figures, decorative elements, and letters around the circumference.
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The circular medallion depicts a lion standing on its hind legs with a small human figure on its back. The lion is shown with an open mouth and teeth visible. An inscription encircles the edge of the medallion. It appears to be made of metal, possibly bronze, with a brown color and green patina. It seems small enough to be held in a hand and has a small hole at the top, indicating it could be used as a pendant. The design includes intricate artwork of the figures, decorative elements, and letters around the circumference.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Child on a Lion

Gianfrancesco Enzola

Medium
bronze//Dark brown patina
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 5.01 cm (2 in.) gross weight: 39.78 gr (0.088 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.184
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1300 to 1400
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Renaissance
  • Parmese
  • virtues and vices
  • allegory
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • Virtue
  • Ferrarese
Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

Inscription

around top circumference: .SOLA.VIRTVS.OMI NEM.FELICITAT. (Only virtue can make men happy); around exergue border: .IO.FR.PARMENSIS. (Gian Francesco of Parma)

Marks

Reverse bears former inventory numbers 64 in red paint (Dreyfus) and 60 in yellow paint (Ricci 1931).

NGA object ID 43904. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.