In Memory of Carl Albert Bachofen von Echt
1884
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 1 15/16 in. (49 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
96.12.4, .5
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art sits a poignant bronze medal titled *In Memory of Carl Bachofen von Echt crafted by Austrian artist Anton Scharff in 1884. Measuring just 1 15/16 inches (49 mm) in diameter, intimate plaquette exemplifies the 19th-century revival of medal art—a miniature sculptural form blending portraiture with commemorative purpose. Scharff, a master of realistic bronze work, captures the essence of nobility through finely detailed relief, evoking the grandeur of Austrian aristocratic tradition. The medal honors Carl Albert Bach...
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...