Summary

Bronze portrait medal of Zelma Gartner, designed by Andor Mészáros and minted in 1964. It was found in the ruins of John and Zelma's home in Mt Macedon after the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983, damaged but still recognisable.

Zelma Gartner was married to well-known numismatist and collector John Gartner. In 1959 John commissioned Andor's son Michael Meszaros to produce a medal portrait of John; this became Michael's first professional commission. Several years later Andor produced this portrait of Zelma as a companion piece.

John Gartner and his wife Zelma were both collectors and their house in Mt Macedon held many valuable objects, including medals by Andor and Michael. The house and its contents were destroyed by the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 16 February 1983, and the Gartner's barely escaped with their lives. Another copy of this medal was one of the few recognisable pieces retrieved from the ashes of the fire. It was given to Michael Meszaros after the fires and lay in his studio for 28 years before being donated to the museum.

Physical Description

Round bronze medal with head of a woman with short hair in left profile, modelled in low relief. There is an inscription around the left edge in capital letters, and the artist's signature appears in the lower right quadrant. Two bronze mounting pins ron the reverse.

Obverse Description

Head of woman facing left. Around , ZELMA / 1964. Below right, ANDOR / MÉSZÁROS.

Reverse Description

The reverse is hollow and has pins for mounting on a wooden support.

Significance

For over half a century, sculptors Andor (1900-1973) and Michael (1945- ) Meszaros have created medals that reflect the high points of life in Australia. From major awards and portraits of eminent Australians to artwork celebrating popular culture and the natural world, these objects illuminate our culture and history. Grounded in a centuries-old European art tradition, the medals create connections across disciplines and link such diverse subjects as scientific advances, religious themes, sport, the performing arts and motherhood. Through their public and private commissions and their personal artworks, the Meszaros sculptors have defined the modern Australian medal.

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