![]() ![]() As will be seen from our two examples, to give a portrait medal was to show admiration and affection to a fellow human being. While portrait medals had a variety of functions, one of their principal roles was to serve as a gift. The side with the portrait is known as obverse, while the reverse side clarified the circumstances and celebrated achievements of the person portrayed. They were small objects of art the size of portrait medals can range from 3 to 11 cm in diameter. Judging from surviving examples, bronze was the most popular medium. Portrait medals were made in gold, silver, bronze and lead. ![]() It would also have been seen as “official”, even though it was not used as a practical tool of the state and had no monetary value, which was the main use of the medal’s predecessor, the Ancient Roman coin. The medal’s easy portability guaranteed that its message would be spread far and wide. They recognized that, by commissioning medals, they could preserve not only their own names but those of humanists at their courts. Although already a famous painter, Pisanello became a medalist of choice for the king of Naples, Alfonso of Aragon and North Italian signori, like Lodovico Gonzaga, Sigismondo Malatesta and Leonello d’Este. Most scholars agree that the basic form of the Renaissance portrait medal was invented by Antonio Pisanello in 1438. Michelangelo medal ©Victoria and Albert Museum, London Medals of the deceased were also produced, which celebrated the life of the person depicted. In both periods, two principal functions of portrait medals were commemoration (marking political events, weddings and anniversaries) and awards to individuals for their services. The function of portrait medals was consistent with the commemorative role of ancient bronze coins: the same word, medaglia, was used for both ancient and Renaissance pieces. In addition, this miniature object contained a wealth of information about the person represented. One original way to attain earthly immortality was through the portrait medal, which was small, durable, portable and easily reproduced. Increased awareness of individual human excellence or personal virt ù resulted in the desire to be remembered for posterity. Portrait medals appeared in Italy in the 1430s as a result of a revived interest in classical antiquity and the Renaissance philosophy of man. There are few artifacts as fascinating as the Renaissance portrait medal, an intimate object meant to be held in the hand and studied up close. ![]()
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