Read the visual description
The sculpture is a relief carving on a circular medal or medallion. A male figure draped in classical attire stands at the center, holding a vessel in his left hand and a dish in his right hand. He stands on a mound covered with grapes or a textured surface. Surrounding him are four birds in various poses, with wings spread or folded. An inscription along the edge reads "PIDEAT AMICI DIEM PERDIDISE," with "LIBERALITAS" below the central scene. The sculpture is made of metallic silver with a slightly tarnished surface. It is slightly raised against the background.
National Gallery of Art · Sculpture
Allegory of Liberality [reverse]
Matthes Gebel
- Medium
- base silver
- Dimensions
- overall (diameter): 4.19 cm (1 5/8 in.) gross weight: 27.58 gr (0.061 lb.) axis: 6:00
- Classification
- Sculpture · Medal/Medallion
- Accession number
- 1957.14.1293.b
- Credit line
- Samuel H. Kress Collection
- Time span
- 1501 to 1550
- Department
- CSD
Subjects and terms
- allegory
- Renaissance
- Nuremberg
- Liberality
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.
Inscription
around circumference: PVDEAT AMICI DIEM PERDIDISSE.; around bottom circumference: LIBERALITAS
NGA object ID 45550. 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.