PAUL MANSHIP
Bellerophon and Pegasus.

Terracotta medallion, 1934. 230 mm; 9 inches (diameter). With the artist's name and date, lower left recto.

Provenance: Private collection, New York.

The current work is a maquette for the Carnegie Corporation of New York Award medal, which was cast in bronze by the Medallic Art Company, New York. A medal from this cast was given to educationalist Sir Percy Nunn in 1936 and is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Manship (1885-1966) had sculpted this same composition in 1930, with a same-titled gilded bronze sketch. Both the bronze sketch and the finished bronze medallion appear in the 1957 monograph by Edwin Murtha, The Sculpture of Paul Manship, numbers 268 and 335, respectively.

The Greek mythological hero Bellerophon was known for capturing and taming the winged horse Pegasus with the help of Athena's charmed bridle, and earning the disfavour of the gods after succumbing to hubris and attempting to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus to join the ranks of the gods.

 

Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500