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The sculpture is a circular medallion featuring a relief of a human figure surrounded by two lions. The lions have realistic details, with their manes and features clearly etched into the surface. The human figure is portrayed nude and contorting, with one arm raised and the other arm and legs engaged with the lions. The medallion is gold in color, with inscribed text decorating its perimeter. It features a circular motif and a scroll with Latin text at the top.
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The sculpture is a circular medallion featuring a relief of a human figure surrounded by two lions. The lions have realistic details, with their manes and features clearly etched into the surface. The human figure is portrayed nude and contorting, with one arm raised and the other arm and legs engaged with the lions. The medallion is gold in color, with inscribed text decorating its perimeter. It features a circular motif and a scroll with Latin text at the top.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

An Allegory of Faith: Lions Devouring a Nude Youth [obverse]

Attributed to Master IO.F.F.

Medium
bronze//Yellow-brown patina
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 6 cm (2 3/8 in.) gross weight: 57.7 gr (0.127 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture · Plaquette
Accession number
1957.14.446.a
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Bolognese
  • allegory
  • Renaissance
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • Faith
  • Youth
  • Lions
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

upper center on scroll: AM/ANDO IO ("As I love"); around circumference: ET.SI.CORPVS.NON.FIDES.MACVLABITVR [followed by a leafy branch] (though the body may be defiled, [my] faith shall not)[1]

NGA object ID 44162. 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.