Edward Hodges Baily was a distinguished sculptor. He studied at the Royal Academy and was a pupil of John Flaxman. His notable commissions included sculptures for Marble Arch in London, various government buildings and Buckingham Palace. He is depicted on the obverse side of this medal, bare headed and in profile to the left. On the reverse side there is a representation of 'Eve at the Fountain', one of Baily's best known works that he produced in 1822.

This is one of a series of medals commissioned by the Art Union of London, which was established in 1837 to encourage interest in the fine arts. Between 1842 and 1887, they sponsored a group of thirty medals, each with a portrait of an eminent artist, together with an illustration of their work.