Winged Thunderbolt [reverse]

Art Historical Context

This striking bronze medallion created around 1522 by the Florentine sculptor Francesco da Sangallo, captures the dynamic energy of a winged thunderbolt on its reverse side. Measuring just over nine centimeters in diameter, the work exemplifies the Renaissance revival of classical motifs, where symbols of divine power—such as Jupiter’s thunderbolt—were reimagined with graceful, animated forms. Sangallo, part of a prominent family of artists and architects, brought a sculptural sensibility to small-scale bronze works, blending architectural precision with lively detail. Bronze casting allowed Renaissance artists like Sangallo to achieve remarkable sharpness and durability in such intimate objects, which were often produced as medals or plaquettes for collectors and patrons. The reverse design likely complemented a portrait or emblem on the obverse, serving both decorative and symbolic purposes in an era when personal devices conveyed status and intellectual ideals. Today, this piece from the Samuel H. Kress Collection invites viewers to appreciate the technical mastery and cultural resonance of early sixteenth-century Italian sculpture.