Female Figure and Putto [reverse]

Art Historical Context

This intimate bronze medal, crafted by Gianfrancesco Enzola in 1461, showcases the reverse side featuring a graceful female figure accompanied by a playful putto—a cherubic child symbolizing love or innocence in Renaissance iconography. Measuring just 4.43 cm in diameter and weighing a mere 46.14 grams, its diminutive scale belies its exquisite detail, typical of the small-scale sculpture flourishing in 15th-century Italy. Enzola, a skilled Lombard medallist active during the early Renaissance, employed a rough cast technique in bronze, resulting in a textured surface that captures movement and depth. These medals were prized collector's items, often exchanged among humanists and patrons, blending classical antiquity's motifs with contemporary humanism. The female figure and putto evoke allegorical themes of beauty and divine playfulness, reflecting the era's fascination with mythology and the human form. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Samuel H. Kress Collection, this piece highlights the technical innovation of Renaissance bronze casting and Enzola's contribution to the burgeoning art of the medal, bridging sculpture and numismatics for elite audiences.