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Image for Portrait Medallion of Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)
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Portrait Medallion of Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) Thumbnail
Portrait Medallion of Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) Thumbnail

Portrait Medallion of Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)

Pierre-Jean David d'Angers (French, 1788-1856) (Artist)
1831
cast bronze, chemical patina
(18th and 19th Centuries )

This medallion of the great German naturalist, writer, and statesman exhibits D'Angers sensitivity in modeling and his views on facial types. A comparison of this medallion with that of Jean Pierre Boyer (Walters 54.844) is a reminder that we usually think of the color of bronze as simply an abstract choice, having nothing representational to add.

Inscription

[Signature] Bottom center: DAVID; [Date] Bottom center: 1831; [Inscription] On right: ALEXANDRE / DE HUMBOLDT; [Inscription] On obverse: FUMIÈRE / ET CIE SUCRS - THIEBAUT FRES / PARIS

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Exhibitions

1995 The Allure of Bronze. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.
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Geographies

France, Paris (Place of Origin)

Measurements

Diam: 6 1/16 in. (15.4 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

54.842

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Hours

  • Wednesday—Sunday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 1–8 p.m.
  • Monday—Tuesday: Closed

Location

600 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD
21201

Phone

410-547-9000

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