The sculpture is a profile of a man on a circular medallion. The man wears a unique double-layered hat closely around his head. The medallion is bronze or a similar metal with a brownish color and slightly weathered surface. Raised text on the edge reads "PISANVS" on the left and "PICTOR" on the right. The man's face is detailed, showing his features and a side view of his nose, lips, and chin. The appearance indicates a carefully sculpted, possibly antique piece, and may serve as a commemorative artifact.
Read the visual description

The sculpture is a profile of a man on a circular medallion. The man wears a unique double-layered hat closely around his head. The medallion is bronze or a similar metal with a brownish color and slightly weathered surface. Raised text on the edge reads "PISANVS" on the left and "PICTOR" on the right. The man's face is detailed, showing his features and a side view of his nose, lips, and chin. The appearance indicates a carefully sculpted, possibly antique piece, and may serve as a commemorative artifact.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

Antonio Pisano, called Pisanello, the Painter and Medallist [obverse]

Attributed to Pisanello

Date
c. 1440/1443
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 5.81 cm (2 5/16 in.) gross weight: 69.13 gr (0.152 lb.) axis: 12:00
Classification
Sculpture · Medal/Medallion
Accession number
1957.14.624.a
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1401 to 1500
Department
CSD

Subjects and terms

  • Renaissance
  • Medals
  • bust facing left
  • portrait
  • Painter
  • Ferrarese
  • Medallist
  • Pisanello
Provenance

Charles Armand Signol [d. 1875], Paris; (his estate sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 1-3 April 1878, 3rd day, no. 150); 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.

Inscription

around circumference: .PISANVS. .PICTOR.

NGA object ID 44374. 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.