Table medals
Vladimir Ananin was engaged in the medallic art throughout his creative career. Here is his vision of it:
Medals
Have you ever tried to draw in three dimensions? It is fascinating and it is called the relief modelling. When drawing with a pencil, the volume of the image is created through hatching while in a relief it is needed to imitate the image volume through the play of light and shadow.
The lower is the relief, the shorter is the play of light and shadow. To make a medal relief of the “Proof” quality (0.3 mm of height), its model should be produced in the fivefold scale with the relief of 1.5 mm height only. So, it is quite difficult to imitate the play of light and shadow. Medals are also attributed to the small statuary since a sculptor gradually creates a medal on the flat surface.
Then a relief is set in a circular form, an inscription is added and here is a medal. This is, of course, a basic description.
A medal (French word ‘médaille’ from the Italian word ‘medaglia’ and from the Latin word ‘metallum’ – metal) is a metallic coin with the reversible (or, less commonly, non-reversible) imagery. There are various types of medals: commemorative medals, awards, table medals, coin-shaped medals, etc. Techniques differ: modelling, casting in ceramics, stamping (with dies). Stamps can be ordinary, proof, anti-proof, etc. Normally a medal is of a circular, oval or, sometimes, polygonal form (so-called plaquette). In addition to decorating the breast of chevaliers, medals decorated the cabinet’s desk, door pediments in a palace, tableware, different household objects, even walls of metro stations. Unfortunately, the medal fashion is dying away. It is a pity that their application is quite limited today.
Throughout the years of my work I have created quite a number of medals. The most memorable moment was the modelling of the two portraits: the portrait of Ahmad Shah Massoud, nicknamed the Lion of Panjshir, for an Afghan order, and the portrait of Commander Boris Gromov for a commemorative medal. The former war enemies in Afghanistan. And peaceful ambiance of an artist studio. Quite striking!
More recently I have started combining the medal techniques with decorative art. It means creating a table object in the form of a big medal using different materials. You will find it in the “Illustrations” section: a birthday present to the Governor of the Moscow Region Boris Gromov dedicated to his 60th Anniversary. My customer wanted something outstanding and unique as a present.
Thus, a medal is gradually reacquiring features of a decoration in modern interior. However, medals are mainly official commemorative items.
Another fine thing is a portrait of a beloved woman… A gracious head, a piece of bijou. What could be a nicer present for a loved one? Think of it!
