The sculpture depicts a scene on a circular, coin-like object with a central motif of a child figure riding a lion. The child is holding a rod with a banner atop it, and the lion is shown in mid-stride, walking with a flowing mane. The child is seated confidently on the lion's back, with wings visible. The background of the sculpture is adorned with a landscape. Around the edges of the sculpture is an inscription in a circular format. The sculpture is made from a bronze-like material, exhibiting a patina with shades ranging from dark bronze to specks of green and light brown. Two holes are present at the top and bottom.
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The sculpture depicts a scene on a circular, coin-like object with a central motif of a child figure riding a lion. The child is holding a rod with a banner atop it, and the lion is shown in mid-stride, walking with a flowing mane. The child is seated confidently on the lion's back, with wings visible. The background of the sculpture is adorned with a landscape. Around the edges of the sculpture is an inscription in a circular format. The sculpture is made from a bronze-like material, exhibiting a patina with shades ranging from dark bronze to specks of green and light brown. Two holes are present at the top and bottom.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Child on a Lion

Gianfrancesco Enzola

Medium
bronze//Medium brown patina
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 7.16 cm (2 13/16 in.) gross weight: 66 gr (0.146 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.188
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1300 to 1400
Department
CSD

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.HOMINEM.FE[L]ICIT[AT].IOANNSFRANCISI.PARMENSIS. (Only virtue can make men happy / Gianfrancesco of Parma)

Marks

Reverse formerly bore previous inventory number 64 in yellow paint (Ricci 1931); numerals were removed during 1982 cleaning.

NGA object ID 43908. 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.