Temple of Eternity with Goddess [reverse]
1540 or before
![Temple of Eternity with Goddess [reverse] by Giovanni da Cavino](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/temple-of-eternity-with-goddess-reverse-nga-67041.webp)
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.) gross weight: 28.72 gr (0.063 lb.) axis: 5:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Sculpture and Decorative Arts Curators Fund
Accession Number
1986.29.1.b
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 permanen...
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...