Medalists Portrait
Roger Bezombes was a 20th century French painter, sculptor, medallist and designer. He studied in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts and was greatly influenced by his friendship with Maurice Denis. Bezomb worked mainly as a painter, adopting Henri Matisse's rich colours in landscapes and figures, often based on observations of 'exotic' cultures, particularly those of the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Jakob Binck / Bink, a German artist, was skilled in engraving, etching, painting, and medal making. He worked for various courts in Northern Europe, including the Danish court, and resided in Antwerp. Binck's artistic style resembled that of the Little Masters group. While it is believed he may have been a pupil of Dürer, his early residence in Italy casts doubt on this assumption. Binck's known paintings are primarily portraits, known for their accurate drawing and artistic taste.
Georg Conrad Ludwig Burger was a German historical painter, illustrator, and medallist. He studied at the Berlin Art Academy, at the same time working at book illustrating; he was also a pupil of Thomas Couture in Paris. Among his best drawings are the illustrations for the works of La Fontaine and a collection of 20 plates known as Die Kanone. After 1869, he devoted himself to decorative painting, his most important work in this line being the walls and ceilings in the Berlin City Hall (1870) and the colossal figures symbolizing the warlike virtues at the School of Cadets at Lichterfelde (1878).
Francesco Francia, also known as Francesco Raibolini, was an Italian painter, goldsmith, and medallist from Bologna. He began his career in the late 15th century and collaborated with artists like Lorenzo Costa, drawing inspiration from the styles of Ercole de' Roberti, Perugino, and Raphael.
Francia ran a successful workshop and trained notable artists such as Marcantonio Raimondi and Ludovico Marmitta. While it was once rumored that Raphael's work caused him to die of depression, their friendship has since debunked this claim.
Francesco Francia passed away in Bologna, and his sons, Giacomo Francia and Giulio Francia, also became artists.
Ernst Moritz Geyger was a German artist known for his work in sculpture, painting and engraving. His work is included in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Quentin Matsys (Dutch: Quinten Matsijs), a Flemish painter born around 1466 in Leuven, is recognized as a pivotal figure in the Early Netherlandish tradition and a founder of the Antwerp school of painting. His initial training as an ironsmith in his father's workshop lent a unique craftsmanship to his artistic endeavors. Matsys' works, which often contained religious themes and satirical elements, were instrumental in the transition from medieval to Renaissance art in northern Europe.
Matsys' early works exhibit the influence of Hans Memling, and later, his exposure to Italian Renaissance artists, especially Leonardo da Vinci, is evident in his refined technique. This amalgamation of Northern European and Italian influences resulted in a distinctive style that earned him the reputation as the leading painter in Antwerp during the early 16th century.
Today, Matsys' masterpieces are housed in prestigious institutions like the National Gallery in London, serving as a testament to his enduring legacy. His contributions to the art world resonate with collectors and historians alike, who admire his innovative blend of technical skill and evocative expression.
Ralph J. Menconi was a prominent sculptor and medallist, who received many accolades during his lifetime. Among them were the Ellen P. Speyer award for original sculpture in 1941, the Freedom Foundation Award, the Michelangelo Award, the American Numismatic Association's Sculptor of the Year award in 1970, and the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1971. He also received an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, in 1971. He became known as the "Sculptor of Presidents" because of the 36-medal series of the American presidents he created for Presidential Art Medals.
Conrad Meyer, a Swiss painter, engraver, and medallist, made significant contributions to the art world of his time. Initially a painter of portraits and landscapes, Meyer eventually shifted his focus to copper engraving, producing over a thousand works in his lifetime. Notable among his creations is the map of Switzerland by Conrad Gyger, which he produced in 1657, and his Planisphaerium Coeleste from 1681.
Conrad Meyer's artworks, such as "The Wild Man" (1649), "The Devil's Kitchen Visited by an Angel," and "Allegory of the Transience of Life" (1651), showcase his meticulous technique and are held in high regard, with several pieces housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His work "Parable of the Ungrateful Servant" is part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's collection, demonstrating his prowess in etching as well.
For art collectors and experts, Conrad Meyer's contributions to Swiss art and engraving offer valuable insights into the 17th-century European art scene, particularly in the context of Zurich. His legacy is encapsulated in the diverse range of subjects he explored, from detailed landscapes to intricate portraits and allegorical scenes, reflecting the cultural and artistic vibrancy of his era.
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Constant Montald was a Belgian painter, muralist, sculptor, and teacher. In 1874, while receiving an education in decorative painting at the technical school of Ghent during the day, Montald also enrolled in the evening-classes of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent. There he won in 1885 a competition and received a grant from the city which enabled him to live and study briefly in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts. In Paris he painted his first monumental canvas, The Human Struggle. In 1886, Montald went on to win the Belgian Prix de Rome. He then went on a grand tour of Italy. He traveled extensively until he eventually settled in Florence, where he made preparations for a Grand work he eventually completed in Rome. This grand work, titled "Social Contradictions", was kept in the basement of the Royal Museum of Art and History of Brussels after it was displayed there in 1890 after being sent over from Rome. The First World War prevented Montald from painting Monumental works, instead he focused on painting on an easel. Montald co-founded the group L'art monumental. This group promoted a decorative monumental style connected to architecture.
Georges Morin was a German painter, sculptor, and medalist, showcased his versatility through architecture sculptures, standalone artworks, medals, statues, and figures.
Morin studied at the Berlin Art Academy from 1892 to 1896, learning under Ernst Herter and Peter Breuer. Following his successful exams, he journeyed to Paris for further studies, captivated by oriental dancers of Commedia dell'arte. Morin painted and sculpted these dancers, drawing inspiration from their performances. He also traveled to Italy and England before returning to Berlin, residing on Görrestraße 16 in Berlin-Friedenau. He was surrounded by fellow artists in the vicinity. Morin's affiliations included the District Art Deputation and associations of visual artists in Berlin and Germany, providing him platforms to exhibit his creations.
Ivan Ivanovich Reimers (Russian: Иван Иванович Реймерс) was a mid-nineteenth-century Russian artist of German origin. He is known as a painter, medallist and sculptor.
As a sculptor, Ivan Reimers became famous for creating bas-reliefs on religious themes for churches and decorating the Hermitage building in St. Petersburg. As a painter, the artist showed himself as a genre painter, landscape painter, portrait painter. He also worked successfully in watercolors.
Richard Scheibe was a German artist primarily remembered as a sculptor. He trained as a painter, and taught himself to sculpt beginning in 1906. From 1925-1933 he taught at the Städelsches Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt am Main. He was dismissed from teaching when the Nazis seized power but was reinstated in 1934. He received various recognitions during the Third Reich, including the Goethe-Medaille für Kunst und Wissenschaft and placement on the Gottbegnadeten list. After World War II he continued to sculpt, including a figurative piece for the Memorial to the German Resistance. His work was also part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Helena Skirmunt was a Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian artist of the mid-19th century. She is known as a painter, graphic artist and sculptor.
As an artist, Helena Skirmunt painted landscapes, portraits, and icons; as a sculptor, she created numerous portrait medallions and religious works. She was also famous for creating "historical" chess pieces, choosing as their theme the Viennese campaign of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski, who defeated the Turkish army in 1683.
Massimiliano Soldani or Massimiliano Soldani Benzi was an Italian baroque sculptor and medallist, mainly active in Florence. Soldani developed into one of the finest bronze casters of his time in Europe. Though first specialising as a medallist, Soldani also produced bronze reliefs, bronze vases and free-standing figures and busts.
Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy (Russian: Фёдор Петрович Толстой) was a Russian sculptor, painter, and medallist, renowned for his contributions to Russian classicism and romanticism. Born in Saint Petersburg in 1783, he became a prominent figure in the Russian art world. As a vice-president of the Imperial Academy of Arts, Tolstoy produced significant works, including medallions commemorating the Patriotic War of 1812.
Tolstoy's artistic style is characterized by its meticulous detail and classical influence. His works, such as the intricate medallions and bas-reliefs, often depict historical and allegorical scenes. These pieces are celebrated for their technical precision and emotional depth, embodying the spirit of the era.
Many of Tolstoy's creations are housed in prestigious collections, including the State Hermitage Museum and the State Tretyakov Gallery. His legacy continues to inspire and influence Russian art and culture, making him a significant figure in the history of Russian fine arts.
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Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon was a French artist, writer, diplomat, author, and archaeologist. Denon was a diplomat for France under Louis XV and Louis XVI. He was appointed as the first Director of the Louvre museum by Napoleon after the Egyptian campaign of 1798-1801, and is commemorated in the Denon Wing of the modern museum and in the Dominique-Vivant Denon Research Center. His two-volume Voyage dans la basse et la haute Egypte ("Journey in Lower and Upper Egypt"), 1802, was foundational for modern Egyptology.
Adolf von Hildebrand was a German sculptor of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, a representative of academism. He was also fond of architecture, painting, graphics and medallions.
Adolf von Hildebrand is also known as an authoritative art theorist, his fundamental work "The Problem of Form in Fine Art," first published in 1892, was subsequently translated into dozens of foreign languages.
Hildebrand spent much of his life outside Germany. In Italy he was strongly impressed by the work of the best masters of antiquity and the Renaissance. Soon, together with a group of like-minded people, he founded the "Roman circle". The members of this creative association urged their colleagues to abandon decadent attitudes in favor of the true values of ancient art.
In recognition of his achievements, the King of Bavaria knighted Hildebrand at the end of his life and the aristocratic prefix "von" was added to his name. The sculptor's works have survived in many European cities, but his most famous architectural and sculptural works are in Munich.