Medal depicting Lorenzo de' Medici
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1480
Medal, with bust of Lorenzo de' Medici in profile (obv.) and a male figure in antique armour (crested helmet and curass), holding a sword in his left hand and resting on a spear with his right, standing victorious over three supplicants (rev.).
This coin was probably commissioned in about 1480 by Lorenzo de' Medici, ruler of Florence, to commemorate his victory over the failed attack on the Medici family known as the Pazzi conspiracy. The central figure standing above three supplicants might symbolise Lorenzo reasserting his authority over his enemies. This figure was inspired by an allegorical depiction of Rome on an ancient Roman sestertius (coin) of Trajan (Emperor from 98-117 AD).
Unlike the sestertius, this medal was cast not struck. Renaissance scholars and princes collected medals and also gave them as gifts to their contemporaries.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Depth 0.4 cm; Diameter 3.2 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Cast bronze
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- Florence
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O115001
- Museum object number
- 4588-1857
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.