In Honor of Adolf Bachofen von Echt, as President of the Ornithological Society of Vienna
1892
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 1 1/2 in. (38 mm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
Austrian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Baron Bachofen von Echt, 1896, through S. Oettinger
Accession Number
96.12.17, .18
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medal, crafted by Austrian artist Anton Scharff 1892, honors Bachofen von Echt his presidency of the Ornithological Society of Vienna prestigious group dedicated to the study of. Measuring just 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) in diameter, exemplifies the intimate artistry of 19th-century plaquettes and medals, small-scale sculptures prized for their intricate relief work and portability. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1896 by Baron Bachofen von Echt through S. Oettinger, it now resides in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection. The medal likely features...
About the Artist
Anton Scharff · 1845–1903
Anton Scharff (1845–1903) was one of the foremost medallists and engravers of nineteenth-century Austria, whose precision, formal elegance, and prolific output earned him an international reputation. Born in Vienna, he received his training at the Imperial Mint and the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, absorbing the rigorous technical traditions of Central European medal-making while also engaging with...