Antonis Mor, c. 1517/1521-1576/1577, Painter
1501 to 1550
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 6.37 cm (2 1/2 in.) gross weight: 46.05 gr (0.102 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.1233
Art Historical Context
This bronze portrait medal, created by the Dutch medallist Steven van Herwijck, depicts the Flemish painter Antonis Mor (c. 1517/1521–1576/77). Measuring just over 6 centimeters in diameter, the circular work exemplifies the Renaissance revival of ancient coinage traditions. Portrait medals like this one served as portable tributes to notable figures, allowing artists, scholars, and patrons to commemorate their achievements and circulate their likenesses across Europe. Van Herwijck, active in the mid-sixteenth century, specialized in such intimate sculptures, often capturing the dignified pro...