Medallion
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Wax; glass, painted
Dimensions
Diameter (framed): 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Classification
Glass-Painted
Culture
possibly British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mary Martin, 1938
Accession Number
38.145.147
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Sculpture and Decorative Arts, this delicate 19th-century *Medallion* (diameter 4 1/4 inches framed) captures the elegance of a woman's profile, evoking the intimate portraiture popular in Victorian-era personal adornments. Created by an artist, possibly British, it exemplifies the era's fascination with refined, miniature artworks that served as cherished keepsakes, jewelry pendants, or mourning pieces. Crafted from wax modeled into a subtle relief, the medallion is encased in painted glass, a technique that preserved the wax's fine details while a...