Temple of Eternity with Goddess [reverse]

Art Historical Context

Behold the intricate bronze medal *Temple of Eternity with Goddessreverse]* by Giovanni da Cavino, master Paduan medallist active in Renaissance Italy before 1540 At a modest 3.8 cm in diameter and weighing just 28.72 grams, this diminutive sculpture packs monumental ambition, reflecting the era's humanist revival of classical antiquity. Cavino specialized in finely cast bronze medals that mimicked ancient Roman coins blending historical reverence with virtuoso craftsmanship. The reverse side features a Temple of Eternity adorned with a, evoking timeless themes of divinity, fame, and permanence—motifs central to Renaissance allegory. Such small-scale works were prized as portable art objects, worn as jewelry or collected by scholars, underscoring medals' role in disseminating classical iconography during the 16th century. Crafted through precise lost-wax casting, the medal's sharp details and 5:00 axis orientation reveal technical prowess suited to numismatic traditions. Acquired via the Sculpture and Decorative Arts Curators Fund at the National Gallery of Art, it invites us to marvel at how Renaissance artists like Cavino forged eternal links between past and present.

About the Artist

Giovanni da Cavino · 1500–1570

**Giovanni da Cavino: The Paduan Master of Medals and Antiquity** Giovanni da Cavino, born in May 1500 in Padua to goldsmith Bartolommeo di Giovanni from Cavino d'Arsego, inherited his family's craft from an early age. His father served as his initial master until Bartolommeo's death in 1517, after which Cavino trained in the workshop of the renowned Paduan sculptor Andrea Riccio (1470–1532), who...