Mona Lisa/Leonard da Vinci "Masterpieces in Medals"

Albino Manca was born in 1897 in Tertenia, Italy. He became a sculptor of commemorative works, a medalist, craftsperson, and professor of art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. After initial training as a gravestone carver, Manca studied on scholarship at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome and won prizes there in 1926 and 1927. He came to the United States in 1930 but stayed only two years before returning to Italy. In 1932, he won a national sculpture competition sponsored by the Legione Carabinieri Reali in Cagliari, Italy. For that project he created four monumental statues and seven huge medallions. He executed a number of portrait busts of the Italian royal family and one of Mussolini who was impressed with Manca's work and helped fund his permanent move to America in 1938. During his early years in the United States, Manca made his living by designing silver jewelery until he found employment at the studio of Herbert Adams in New York. There he was able to make sculpture. His specialities were medallion reliefs and sculptures of animals. His animal sculptures were purchased and exhibited in Philadelphia, South Carolina, and New York City. Manca also executed some reliefs for the post office in Lyons, GA, and designed the Louise Du Pont Crowninsheild Award for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. He exhibited works at the National Academy during the 1950s and 1960s. He won the Ellen Speyer Prize in 1964 and the Mahonri Young Memorial Prize in 1966. He died in 1976.