Three New Renaissance/Baroque Medals

Iosephus

Antonio Da Mula / Da Mula and Trevisan Shaking Hands

by Andrea Spinelli, 1538


Bronze, 40.8 mm Ø, 29.1 g

Obverse: Bust of Antonio Da Mula, bareheaded, facing left, wearing a gown. Around, · ANT · MVLA · DVX · CRETÆ · X · VIR · III · CONS · IIII · (Antonio Mula, Duke of Crete, Member of the Council of Ten for the Third Time, Counselor for the Fourth Time).

Reverse: Antonio Da Mula, on the left, shakes hands with another man. Both men are standing and wearing togas. At top, 1538 , and around, · CONCORDIA · cinquefoil · FRATRVM · (The Concord of Brothers). Beneath the figures, on two lines and within the outer inscription, · AND · SPIN · / · F · (Andrea Spinelli Made It).

Antonio Da Mula (c. 1460-after 1539) was a a Ventian patrician who served in various important offices in the Venetian administration, including as a member of the Council of Ten. In 1536, he was appointed duke of the Kingdom of Candia and became responsible for the governance of Crete. In June 1538, with Captain Marcantonio Trevisan, he organized the defense of Candia against the threat from the Turkish pirate Barbarossa. Despite inadequate resources, the two were able to produce a sufficient show of force to frighten off the attacker. It is accepted that the reverse of this medal commemorates this occasion, with Da Mula and Trevisan shaking hands in fraternal concord. Trevisan would later be elected doge of Venice in 1553.

Publication: Plate medal for La Storia di Venezia Attraverso le Medaglie by Piero Voltolina.

Reference: Attwood 208; Börner 830; NGA 471-472; Toderi-Vannel 629; Voltolina 302




Cardinal Girolamo Colonna / Coat of Arms

c. 1639-1645


Bronze, 48.0 mm Ø, 30.2 g

Obverse: Bust of Girolamo Colonna, bareheaded facing left, wearing hooded cassock. Around, HIER · S · R · E · CARD · COLVNMNA · ARCHIEPISC · BONONIE (Girolamo Colonna, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Archbishop of Bologna). Under the bust, a two-tailed mermaid.

Reverse: Colonna coat of arms, surmounted by Cardinal's hat. Around, PALIANI · ET MARINI · DVX · SONNINI · PRINCEPS · E · C (Duke of Paliano and Marino, Prince of Sonnino).

Though the artist is anonymous, Stefano Di Virgilio has suggested an attribution to Gioacchino Francesco Travani based on style.

Girolamo Colonna was a member of the noble Colonna family. Born at Orsogna on March 23, 1604, he was elevated to cardinal by Pope Urban VIII in 1627 and was archbishop of Bologna. Upon his father's passing in 1639, he inherited his family's royal titles, including those of Duke of Marino and Paliano and Prince of Sonnino, which are given on the reverse of the medal. He left the archbishopric of Bologna in 1645 to go to Rome, and was later appointed by Pope Innocent X as Ambassador of the Holy See to Spain. He assisted in the provision of last rites to King Philip IV of SPain in 1665, and then returned to Italy where he died on September 4, 1666 near Genoa. Due to his identification on the obverse as Archbishop of Bologna and his inherited familial titles listed on the reverse, the medal can be dated as belonging to the years 1639-1645.

Publication: Obverse illustrated in the article "Le Medaglie per il Cardinale Girolamo Colonna" by Stefano Di Virgilio, appearing in Panorama Numismatico nr. 270, February 2012.

Reference: Börner 1856




Étienne Pasquier / Hercules Enslaving With His Eloquence

by Papillon, 1605


Bronze, 50.3 mm Ø, 24.4 g

obverse: Bust of Étienne Pasquier, bareheaded, facing left, wearing a collar and gown. Around, STEPH · PASCHASIVS REG · RAT · LVT · PAR · PATRON · aet · 76 AN · 1605 · (Étienne Pasquier, King's Advocate at the Cour des Comptes of Paris, 76 Years of Age, 1605).

Reverse: Hercules standing on the left, with his lion's skin over his back and his right hand resting on his club. From ihs mout come chains which lead to a group of captive men on the right. Above, HERCVLES GALLICVS · (Étienne Pasquier, King's Advocate at the Cour des Comptes of Paris, 76 Years of Age, 1605), and below the exergual line, ELOQVENTIA (Eloquence).

Étienne Pasquier (1529-1615), born in Paris, was a humanist jurist and historian. We was called to the Paris bar in 1549, but become ill in 1558 after eating a plate of poisonous mushrooms. During his two year recovery, he pursued literary work and in 1560 published the first book in his Recherches de la France, an historical account of France. He became famous in 1564 when he appeared against the Jesuits who wished to become part of the University of Paris and won. He was appointed Advocate General of the Chambre des Comptes (Court of Accounts) by Henry III in 1585 and deputy at the Estates-General in Blois in 1588. He continued his work with the Chambre des Comptes until his retirement in 1603.

References: Jones 86; Mazerolle II, no. 735

STLNATS

Impressive medals Joe. I'm not familiar with non-papal baroque medals, how were these used/distributed (i.e., who was the audience)? These seem to be in amazing condition for the period. Even better that 2 are "plated." Congrats!

Zohar

Man you should have your collection on a website. Excellent pickups and detailed descriptions.

Iosephus

<< <i>Impressive medals Joe. I'm not familiar with non-papal baroque medals, how were these used/distributed (i.e., who was the audience)? These seem to be in amazing condition for the period. Even better that 2 are "plated." Congrats! >>


Thanks! I believe that baroque medals such as the Colonna one continued the original tradition of the medal from the Renaissance, that of being primarily a portrait medal with an impresa or related scene on the reverse. These would be made to commemorate the patron both in the present and for posterity, and would often be shared amongst the noble families, etc. Since they could be easily reproduced (unlike paintings) and were small and easily transported (unlike large busts), such medals were an ideal way to make oneself, and one's image, known to others. The development of the medal for mainly propaganda would arise later, such as in the papal series and Louis XIV's medallic history series. Then of course came later medals which lack even a portrait and commemorate events only. I must admit that I used to find such event-based or propagandistic medals more interesting, but have lately been drawn more into the world of the portrait medal.



<< <i>Man you should have your collection on a website. Excellent pickups and detailed descriptions. >>


Thanks for the compliment! I actually am working on a website, and currently host my images there and maintain my collection for my personal use. I've been putting off actually finishing the site since my collection is rather small (41 pieces at present) to support a full blown site, but hope to eventually have it available publicly!

pmac

<< <i>Man you should have your collection on a website. Excellent pickups and detailed descriptions. >>



Zohar, you changed your 'face'.
The medals almost look like they have been lacquered. Is this common and accepted? BTW, nice medals!

Iosephus

<< <i>The medals almost look like they have been lacquered. Is this common and accepted? BTW, nice medals! >>


Thanks! It's not uncommon for medals to be lacquered to protect the surfaces and the applied patinas.