RARE 1934 Augustus Saint - Gaudens Bronze Bas - Relief Plaque Medal, John Flanagan
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:20427884 | Modified Item: No |
| Composition: Bronze | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
| Brand: Medallic Art Company, New York | Circulated/Uncirculated: Uncirculated |
AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS PORTRAITBAS-RELIEF PLAQUE, 1934. Baxter 164 var.; Unlisted byDryfhout; Marqusee140 var. 5-3/4” x 4-1/4”. Cast Bronze. John Flanagan, Sc. (1865-1952). Medallic Art Co., NY. Uniface.Choice Uncirculated with a beautiful deep reddish-brown patina. Obverse: with a bearded bust ofSaint-Gaudens facing to the left. AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS/ STATUAIRE AETATIS·LVI in small letters above. Signed withFlanagan’s initials and dated bottom left field: MCM (JF) XX...XIV. The reversehas two small threaded-drilled holes that would have been used for mounting.This is one of the most famous of all the medallicportraits of the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). It appears as the obverse on the 1937 plaquette issued for the MedallicArt Company's Sculptor'sDinner. The genesis of the portrait is shrouded in mystery. It isdated 1934, yet it’s almost sole use was for the Sculptor's Dinnermedal in 1937. Speculation is that the bas-relief designwas indeed executed in 1934 and was probably based upon the model of Flanagan’s bronze bust of Saint-Gaudens which heexecuted in 1905.Flanagan commenced the portrait of Saint-Gaudens in 1905, modeling it from lifein Cornish. At the time, Saint-Gaudens was gravely ill, yet Flanagan portrayedthe sculptor as a vital and energetic presence. The model was unfinished at thetime of Saint-Gaudens’ death in 1907 and was not resumed until 1920.Additionally, it appears that Flanagan hadno immediate use in mind for this medallic portraitother than as an artistic exercise in honor of his mentor and the possibilityof its commercial use at some later date. Medallic Art Company’s Directorof Research and Historian, Dick Johnson, notes that Flanagan was a very close friend of Henri Weil and it is presumed he assigned the model toWeil to replicate therelief in metal at the Medallic Art Company. Since this was in thedepths of the1930's depression, any commercial use of this portrait was slim, thusthe reason so fewwere made in the larger size. Later in 1937, Clyde Tress, the newowner of the Medallic Art Company, in an attemptto stimulate business among sculptors, scheduled a dinner where nearly a hundredsculptors were invited. Tress had Henri Weil reduce this portrait model on the firm’s Janvier. The smaller struck plaquette was given as a dinnerfavor to those who attended.I am aware of two other large unifaceexamples. The first is a 10¾” x 14¾" bronze Galvano pictured in Dick Johnson's medal blog https://medalblog.wordpress.com/tag/jules-edouard-roine/ and the second, is an example owned by The Century Club/Associationin New York City, where they had held a centennial exhibition of Saint-Gauden’sbirth in 1948.This Saint-Gaudens portrait is one of seven known medallicportraits. The first, modeled in 1898, wasby Helen F. Mears, a student-assistant of Saint-Gaudens; it was cast by Gorham in 1916. James Fraser’s portrait of Saint-Gaudens was prepared forthe 1901 PanAmerican Expositions as a Special Medal of Award. In1904, the sculptor George T. Brewster modeled a large bas-relief portraitmodeled from life at Saint-Gaudens' studio, it was cast by Gorham Co. and wasused by Brewster as a reference to complete a group of eleven portraitmedallions of artists, including Saint-Gaudens, for the exterior of the Palaceof Art at the Saint Louis World's Fair.In 1928 sculptor Warner Williams created a Saint-Gaudens portrait, reasonunknown. This Flanagan portrait of 1934 followed. In 1969 Ralph J. Menconi putSaint-Gaudens on his Statehood Medal of New Hampshire, the state's most famouscitizen. In 1971 Stanley Martineau created a Saint-Gaudens portrait for the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at New York Universitymedal series.The new owner of this Flanagan bas-reliefmight find all other medallic portraits easy to acquiresince the later three were by the Medallic Art Company. Only the Gorham castsmight prove achore to acquire. Arare offering for the astute collector!Thankyou for looking! Please feel free to contact me with any questions.John Flanagan (1865-1952) was one ofAugustus Saint-Gaudens’ studio assistants from 1885 to 1890, where he worked ondiverse projects from the Lincoln Monument to the George Washington InauguralCentennial Medal. Like many of Saint-Gaudens assistants, Flanagan attendedclasses at the Art Students League before leaving for Paris in 1890 to study atthe École des Beaux Arts. At thebeginning of his twelve-year stay in the City of Lights, Flanagan assisted inMacMonnies' studio for a while, working mostly on MacMonnies' largenautical-themed sculptural group for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago.Hesettled in New York in 1902, after living abroad for twelve years and wasparticularly distinguished for his medals and low-relief portraits. In 1919, Flanagan paid honor to Daniel Chester French with a medallic portrait plaque onthe occasion of his 69th birthday. It was also Flanagan who designed the"Washington" quarter replacing MacNeil's "Standing Liberty"quarter; Flanagan's design was introduced in 1932 and still is in use today.Flanaganproduced no sculpture for New York City, but is perhaps the most accomplishedmedalist of the Saint-Gaudens circle. Fellow sculptor Frederick MacMonniesremarked about his skill: "I consider him the leading medalist in America, an artist of high rank and a craftsman of infinite sincerity and devotion tohis work”.I have a large collection of bronze bas-reliefs, plaques, medallions, and medals that I will be listing this month by the followingsculptors: Chester Beach, Victor D. Brenner, Anthony de Francisci, Donald DeLue, John Flanagan, James Earle Fraser, Laura Gardin Fraser, Daniel ChesterFrench, Henry Hering, Anna Vaughan Hyatt-Huntington, Charles Keck, JulioKilenyi, Frederick MacMonnies, Hermon A. MacNeil, Paul Manship, AugustusSaint-Gaudens, Louis St. Gaudens, and many others, including prominent Frenchsculptors/engravers!Payment: I currentlyonly accept PayPal. Please make payment within three-days of auction ending.Internet Sales Tax: When selling on eBay, the seller is responsible for complyingwith all applicable tax laws. 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