Lion and Fury with Torches [reverse]

Art Historical Context

In the early 17th century, medallist and sculptor Guillaume Dupré crafted this intricate bronze piece, *Lion and Fury with Tor [reverse]*, dated 1607. Dupré, who served as the official engraver to Kings Henri IV and Louis XIII was a master of small-scale sculpture, blending Renaissance precision with emerging Baroque dynamism. This work, measuring just 7.55 cm in height (with suspension loop) and 6.79 cm in diameter, the medal tradition—highly detailed reliefs cast in bronze, often worn or collected as portable art. The reverse depicts a lion alongside a Fury brandishing torches, evoking classical mythology where Furies symbolize vengeance or fury, and lions represent strength and royalty. The 12:00 axis indicates its orientation for display or suspension, highlighting its dual function as both sculpture and emblem. Such imagery likely carried allegorical weight, possibly tied to contemporary events or royal iconography during Henri IV's reign. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Samuel H. Kress Collection, this 71.25-gram artifact showcases Dupré's technical virtuosity in capturing movement and texture on a miniature scale. It invites visitors to ponder the era's fusion of politics, myth, and artistry in everyday luxury objects.

About the Artist

Guillaume Dupré · 1579–1640

**Guillaume Dupré (1579–1640)** Guillaume Dupré, born in Sissonne near Laon, emerged as one of France's premier sculptors and medallists during the transition from Renaissance to Baroque art. He studied under the renowned sculptor Barthélemy Prieur, marrying Prieur's daughter Madeleine in 1600 and later fathering Abraham Dupré, who followed in his footsteps as a medallist. His early talent caught...