Medals about to Sculpture

The uniface medallion's obverse shows nude, winged female figure with hammer and chisel.

This medal is still awarded during the National Sculpture Society's annual exhibition.  It is awarded in Gold, Silver and Bronze, corresponding with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners. The Society's March 1, 1966 meeting minutes state that

"Charlotte Dunwiddie [Chair of the Exhibition Committee] asked to establish three medals: one gold, one silver and one bronze, as awards for the annual exhibition. After some discussion, a Motion was made, Seconded, and Carried, approving it.  The awards to be given to sculpture in the rounds, as well as to reliefs which do not fall under the other prizes for medals or small bas-reliefs.” 

In 1978, Bruno Mankowski won the Gold Medal for his 32" high bronze “Seated Figure.”

The medal bears the NSS' old logo (it was changed in 2015).  The logo is based on the sculpture ‘Into the Unknown’ by Hermon Atkins MacNeil which can be admired in the sculpture park at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina. While MacNeil cannot possibly have sculpted the medal, his sculpture is certainly the inspiration for the design.  I do not know whether he converted it to a medallic design himself or whether another sculptor did that after his death.

The medallion measures 98.2mm in diameter. No mintage is reported. Many thanks to Elizabeth Helms from the NSS for her assistance in documenting this beautiful medallion.

The medal's obverse bears a muscular nude goddess of art holding a small Nike with Pegasus and guiding star behind. The reverse bears a hand holding a modeling tool in front of a caliper and L-square. Around, THIS ABOVE ALL TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE.

The purpose of Abram Belskie's medal is not known, but the title, a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, suggests that this medal was commissioned to honor artistic achievement and to encourage artists to follow their own creative impulses. In the artist's own words:

"The drama of Sculpture does not always appear on the surface but its story is indeed the story of civilization. Art is a goddess who smiles upon all, though mostly on her votaries and whose charms are very young. The sculptors of every age are the true mute though not inglorious laureates of their time and as long as men remain men, the principals [sic] of eternal beauty will woo their imagination."

This medal was chosen as the 49th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. The Society's members seemed torn on this medal. While some found it beautiful and even without peer, others objected to lack of detail, anatomical weaknesses, and being "too modernistic for plain men."

The circular medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company.  The mintage was reported as 748 pieces in bronze. The number of silver pieces is not known but the edition was limited to 700.

References:   MACo 1930-001-049, SoM 49

The obverse bears conjoined busts of Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband Archer M. Huntington facing right. Above, AMICI - HVMANI - GENERIS; below, ARCHER M. HUNTINGTON / ANNA HYATT HUNTINGTON

The reverse bears Anna Hyatt Huntington's Fighting Stallions sculpture, one rider hanging on to mane of his steed, the other about to be trampled under his horse's hooves. In exergue, BROOKGREEN / GARDENS; at lower right, ANNA HYATT / HUNTINGTON

This was the first of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals issued in 1973.

Carl Paul Jennewein was a sculptor, trustee and chairman at Brookgreen Gardens and designed the first issue in the member medal series.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   BG 1

The obverse bears General George Washington kneeling in prayer, horse behind; above, thirteen stars in circle. Around, TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; in exergue, 1776 - 1976; signed above exergue at right, J. KISELEWSKI

The reverse bears scene from Brookgreen Gardens, live oaks and sculpture with pathways. At bottom, BROOKGREEN / GARDENS

This was the fourth of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in the United States' bicentennial year, 1976.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   BG 4

References:   BG 35