Figure in a Car Drawn by a Dragon and an Eagle [reverse]
![Figure in a Car Drawn by a Dragon and an Eagle [reverse] by Follower of Francesco Francia](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/figure-in-a-car-drawn-by-a-dragon-and-an-eagle-nga-44657.webp)
Medium
brass
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 6.54 cm (2 9/16 in.) gross weight: 130.81 gr (0.288 lb.) axis: 6:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.780.b
Art Historical Context
Behold this intriguing brass medal, titled *Figure in a Car D by a Dragon and an [reverse]*, crafted around 1519 by a follower the esteemed Bolognese artist Francesco Francia. Measuring just 6.54 cm in diameter and weighing about 131 grams, this petite sculpture exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with small-scale, intricate works like medals. Francia, a master painter and goldsmith (. 1450–1517), influenced a circle of artists in early 16th-century Bologna, where such pieces blended painting's finesse with metalworking precision. The reverse depicts a whimsical yet symbolic scene: a figu...