Figure in a Car Drawn by a Dragon and an Eagle [reverse]
![Figure in a Car Drawn by a Dragon and an Eagle [reverse] by Follower of Francesco Francia](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.artheonmuseum.org%2Fnga%2Fthumb%2Ffigure-in-a-car-drawn-by-a-dragon-and-an-eagle-nga-44657.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Medium
brass
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 6.54 cm (2 9/16 in.) gross weight: 130.81 gr (0.288 lb.) axis: 6:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.780.b
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Behold this intriguing brass medal, titled *Figure in a Car D by a Dragon and an [reverse]*, crafted around 1519 by a follower the esteemed Bolognese artist Francesco Francia. Measuring just 6.54 cm in diameter and weighing about 131 grams, this petite sculpture exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with small-scale, intricate works like medals. Francia, a master painter and goldsmith (. 1450–1517), influenced a circle of artists in early 16th-century Bologna, where such pieces blended painting's finesse with metalworking precision. The reverse depicts a whimsical yet symbolic scene: a figu...