Antonio Pisanello - 23rd FIDEM Congress Medal thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 111, The Gilbert Bayes Gallery

Antonio Pisanello - 23rd FIDEM Congress Medal

Medal
1992 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In contemporary medals the designer often questions the traditional concept of format, appearance and purpose. These medals are best appreciated when held and turned in the hand. Only this will reveal the intimate relationship of one side to other as intended by the artist. Fortunately contemporary medals are one of the most affordable art forms. The cartoonist Ronald Searle wittily subverts the traditional medal format. Normally there is a portrait on one side and a symbolic image representing the virtue or achievements of the sitter on the reverse. When this medal is turned over, the reverse reveals the back of Pisanello’s head.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAntonio Pisanello - 23rd FIDEM Congress Medal (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze, struck
Brief description
Medal, bronze, Antonio Pisanello - 23rd FIDEM Congress, by Ronald Searle, England (London), 1992
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 7cm
Object history
The official Congress medal for the 1992 Fédération Internationale de la Médaille was designed and modelled by Ronald Searle, who has produced several medals for the British Art Medal Society. Struck at the Royal Mint it was issued in limited edition in silver and bronze. The design is humorously and affectionately based on a portrait medal of Pisanello.
Summary
In contemporary medals the designer often questions the traditional concept of format, appearance and purpose. These medals are best appreciated when held and turned in the hand. Only this will reveal the intimate relationship of one side to other as intended by the artist. Fortunately contemporary medals are one of the most affordable art forms. The cartoonist Ronald Searle wittily subverts the traditional medal format. Normally there is a portrait on one side and a symbolic image representing the virtue or achievements of the sitter on the reverse. When this medal is turned over, the reverse reveals the back of Pisanello’s head.
Bibliographic references
  • Hill, George Francis. A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance, Before Cellini, Volume I, Text. London: British Museum, 1930, no. 87
  • Trusted, Marjorie, ed. The Making of Sculpture. The Materials and Techniques of European Sculpture. London: 2007, p. 90, pl. 157
Collection
Accession number
A.3-1993

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Record createdMay 9, 2005
Record URL
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