Unknown youth
Medal
1546 (made)
1546 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a copper alloy medal made by Joachim Deschler in Germany, dated 1546. The medal is oval and has only an obverse which represents the bust of an unknown youth facing right, clean-shaven and bare-headed.
When first acquired by the museum, the medal was thought to be Italian. It is however a rare signed work by Deschler. This is the earliest known dated example of an oval medal, although the Kunz Peck medal (83-1867), which is also oval, is likely to date from the mid-1530s.
Joachim Deschler (active 1532; d. ca. 1571), was a German sculptor, architect and medallist first based in Nuremberg. In 1547 he made a two-year study journey to Venice and Rome, from which he brought back numerous drawings and works of art. From the end of the 1550s Deschler lived in Vienna, where he was court sculptor for Maximilian. Deschler had an enormous output of medal art: 115 pieces are ascribed to him, and also several stone models.
When first acquired by the museum, the medal was thought to be Italian. It is however a rare signed work by Deschler. This is the earliest known dated example of an oval medal, although the Kunz Peck medal (83-1867), which is also oval, is likely to date from the mid-1530s.
Joachim Deschler (active 1532; d. ca. 1571), was a German sculptor, architect and medallist first based in Nuremberg. In 1547 he made a two-year study journey to Venice and Rome, from which he brought back numerous drawings and works of art. From the end of the 1550s Deschler lived in Vienna, where he was court sculptor for Maximilian. Deschler had an enormous output of medal art: 115 pieces are ascribed to him, and also several stone models.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Unknown youth (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Copper alloy; Copper 81.2 %, tin 7.6%, zinc 6.3%. Iron, lead and nickel also present. |
| Brief description | Medal, copper alloy, Unknown youth, by Joachim Deschler, Germany, dated 1546 |
| Physical description | Bust of an unknown youth facing right, clean-shaven and bare-headed. Fine beaded border. The medal is oval. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Provenance: Tross. 140 medals and reliefs were purchased from M. Henri Tross of Paris for £500 by J.C. Robinson for the Museum in 1867. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This is a copper alloy medal made by Joachim Deschler in Germany, dated 1546. The medal is oval and has only an obverse which represents the bust of an unknown youth facing right, clean-shaven and bare-headed. When first acquired by the museum, the medal was thought to be Italian. It is however a rare signed work by Deschler. This is the earliest known dated example of an oval medal, although the Kunz Peck medal (83-1867), which is also oval, is likely to date from the mid-1530s. Joachim Deschler (active 1532; d. ca. 1571), was a German sculptor, architect and medallist first based in Nuremberg. In 1547 he made a two-year study journey to Venice and Rome, from which he brought back numerous drawings and works of art. From the end of the 1550s Deschler lived in Vienna, where he was court sculptor for Maximilian. Deschler had an enormous output of medal art: 115 pieces are ascribed to him, and also several stone models. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 126-1867 |
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| Record created | February 24, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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