Enrico Orsini, died 1604 [obverse]
16th century
![Enrico Orsini, died 1604 [obverse] by Italian 16th Century](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.artheonmuseum.org%2Fnga%2Fthumb%2Fenrico-orsini-died-1604-obverse-nga-45198.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (oval): 3.65 × 2.74 cm (1 7/16 × 1 1/16 in.) gross weight: 19.26 gr (0.042 lb.) axis: 12:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.1090.a
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This small oval bronze medal, created by an anonymous Italian artist in the 16th century, commemorates Enrico Orsini, a member of one of Renaissance Italy’s most influential noble families. Measuring just over an inch and a half wide, the piece was designed as a portable portrait, a format that allowed patrons to carry or exchange images of distinguished individuals much like modern keepsakes. The obverse side, shown here, would have featured Orsini’s likeness, while the medal’s modest weight and precise casting reflect the technical skill of Renaissance metalworkers. Portrait medals like thi...
About the Artist
Italian 16th Century
"Italian 16th Century" refers to a collective attribution for anonymous painters and sculptors active in Italy during the 16th century, a period bridging the High Renaissance and Mannerism. These artists, often working in workshops of masters like Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto, remain unidentified due to the collaborative nature of Renaissance production. Their early lives and training are not ...