The John Charles Robinson Medal
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
2002
"The John Charles Robinson Medal" is a circular cast bronze medal created in 2002 by artist Felicity Powell and cast by Alan Dunn in London. Measuring approximately 11.5 cm in diameter, the piece features a rounded profile finished with a greenish-blue chemical patination applied under heat, contrasting with an unpatinated, polished edge.
The reverse depicts five gesturing hands arranged across the surface, an arrangement inspired by the carved figures of the Annunciation from the workshop of Arnolfo di Cambio, rendered in a low-relief style influenced by Donatello. The obverse replicates the handwriting of John Charles Robinson from an 1886 letter reading "Now Is the Time". Stamped along the polished bright bronze edge are the inscriptions "JOHN CHARLES ROBINSON 1824-1913", "FROM FEW TO MANY", and the artist's mark "FP 2002".
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Commissioned in 2002 by the Victoria and Albert Museum with funds from an anonymous donor, the medal commemorates John Charles Robinson (1824–1913), the first curator of the South Kensington Museum from 1857 to 1863, who played a central role in acquiring Renaissance sculptures for the collection. The commission was the first contemporary medal commissioned by the Museum's Sculpture collection. In addition to this medal, ten further casts were produced to serve as gifts for major museum benefactors.
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- The John Charles Robinson Medal
- Museum object number
- A.5-2002
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.