Busacca Gallery

This is a bronze casting of an amulet badge of a woman dressed for war. A beautiful antique bronze medallion handcrafted engraved metal Gellia by Artist Pierre-Alexandre Morlon: Concours De Verdun F.G.S.P.F. 21 & 22 Juillet 1928 Wonderful bronze badge bronze medal. This European relief head sculpture. Wonderful old patina. Classical style profile. This is a rare piece of history Outstanding solid bronze medal with head-study. artist signed on the front of the metal. It is signed by the artist in the right-hand corner though I can’t read the name. This is solid bronze. relief and the head in 3D. The scalloped edge is incorporated, it has a good thick casting of impeccable quality. Pierre-Alexandre Morlon (French, 1878-1951) Morlon was one of the premier medailleurs of the 20th century. He designed and engraved numerous coins of the French Third, Fourth and Fifth Republics, including all the Fifty Centimes, One Franc and Two Francs pieces used between 1931 and 1959. After the art medal had reached its heights of artistic quality and individuality in the Italian Renaissance, hundreds of years passed in which the medal was more or less only regarded in its utilitarian character. The artistic aspect was almost totally neglected, routine replaced art. In the late 19th century the art medal was revived. They together with a whole generation of highly talented medallists were responsible for a new rise of the art of medal in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco period.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal

A Medal or medallion is a piece of metal, usually carved or engraved; circular (like a coin) and large, that is used as a work of art, souvenir, medal, or worn on the body as a special symbol or as a fashion accessory on a necklace. A medal is usually a coin-like sculpted object of metal or other material that has been engraved with an insignia, portrait or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific, academic or some other kind of achievement. Medals may also be created to commemorate individuals or events or even as works of artistic expression in their own right. There are also devotional medals, which may be worn as a matter of religious faith. Medals are popular collectable items either as a form of exonumia or “paranumismatica”, or of militaria phaleristics.