The Pegasus medal was commissioned by Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1927 from the prominent American sculptor Paul Howard Manship (1885–1966). Standing for inspiration and creativity, Pegasus was originally chosen by the Corporation as the image for a medal honoring individual achievement. The sculpture depicts the moment when, according to Greek myth, Pegasus strikes his hoof on the ground and creates the Fountain of the Muses.
The words “CARNEGIE CORPORATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE” surround the mythical horse on the medal (a plaster cast of which is shown here). To read more on the medal and Paul Manship, please see the back cover of the Fall 2010 Special Centennial Centennial Edition of the Carnegie Reporter. Also see “Embracing Art Deco: Pegasus Takes Flight at Carnegie” in the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of the Carnegie Reporter.