Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
c. 1896 (?)
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam.: 5.6 cm (2 3/16 in.)
Classification
medal
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
143520
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medal, titled *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and crafted by Austrian medalist Anton Scharff 1896, captures the enduring legacy of the prolific composer in a compact, intimate form. Measuring just 5.6 cm in diameter, it exemplifies the Renaissance-inspired revival of medal-making in the late 19th century, where artists like Scharff specialized in finely detailed portrait reliefs. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's of Painting and Sculpture of, this piece reflects the era's fascination with classical music heroes, coming shortly after Mozart's 1791 death bicentennial celebr...
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...