The medallion's obverse bears portrait of John Singer Sargent facing right. Around, JOHN S SARGENT; signed and dated under truncation, · PAUL MANSHIP / 1923
The reverse bears sword-wielding Perseus, facing right, holding Medusa's head over her decapitated body, Pegasus rearing in background. Around top, · PEGASUS · LIBERATED · ; around bottom, · P · M · TO · J · S · S · 1923 ·
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury and an unerring eye for his subjects' character. He was born in Venice and spent much of his life as an expat in Paris and London.
Despite living on a different continent and being 30 years older than Paul Manship, the two artists were connected by a close friendship. They first met during one of Sargent's visits to the United States. Denman Ross of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts invited Manship to a luncheon with the visiting Sargent and the two artists connected. Manship admired the famous painter and Sargent apparently saw a kindred spirit in the much younger man. When Manship moved his family to Europe in the early 1920s he spent a summer working in his friend's London studio.
Sargent sketched his friend Paul and Manship immortalized his friend John on this medallion. Manship even named his third child, his son John Paul, after his close friend.
The circular medallion measures 89mm in diameter and was cast in bronze. It is not known how many pieces were produced.
References: Murtha 158