Personification of Painting at an Easel Portraying Sir Joshua Reynolds [reverse] 1773

This 1773 bronze medal by John Kirk depicts the personification of painting at an easel. The female figure is shown in profile, seated and holding a brush and palette. She is painting the bust of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the founding president of the Royal Academy, as indicated by the inscription surrounding the image. The date, MDCCLXXIII (1773), appears below. This work exemplifies a popular genre of art in the 18th century, which depicted allegorical figures representing various artistic disciplines.