Italy
The portrait medal is generally thought to have been invented in the 1430s by the celebrated Italian artist Pisanello. His medals, which were much larger than most antique coins, established the formula of depicting a contemporary sitter in profile and presenting individualized imagery on the reverse. The earliest Renaissance portrait medals were produced by casting (pouring molten metal into a mold; see the video: “Making a Medal Using Sand Casting”). As early as the 1450s, medals were collected and sent from Italy to Germany and probably elsewhere.
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395–1455)
John VIII Paleologus, Emperor of Byzantium (b. 1392; r. 1425–48), ca. 1438
Lead alloy, cast
Diam.: 4 1/8 in. (10.41 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 5
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395–1455)
Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan (1392–1447), ca. 1441
Lead alloy, cast
Diam.: 4 in. (10.12 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 6
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395–1455)
Leonello d’Este, Marquess of Ferrara (1407–1450), ca. 1445
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 11/16 in. (6.89 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 7
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395–1455)
Domenico Malatesta, called Malatesta Novello, Lord of Cesena (1418–1465), ca. 1445
Lead alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 5/16 in. (8.49 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 8
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395–1455)
Cecilia Gonzaga (1426–1451), dated 1447
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 3/8 in. (8.58 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 9
Antonio di Puccio Pisano, called Pisanello (ca. 1395−1455)
Studies of Men Hanging, ca. 1435
Pen and brown ink, over traces of black chalk
10 5/16 x 7 in. (26.2 x 17.8 cm)
The Frick Collection; Purchased by The Frick Collection, 1936
Cat. 10
Matteo de’ Pasti (1420–d. after 1467)
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini and Fano (1417–1468), dated 1446
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 1/8 in. (7.95 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 11
Matteo de’ Pasti (1420–d. after 1467)
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini and Fano (1417–1468), dated 1446
Copper alloy, cast (foundation medal with corrosion)
Diam.: 3 3/16 in. (8.07 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 12
Matteo de’ Pasti (1420–d. after 1467)
Isotta degli Atti of Rimini (1432/33–1474), dated 1446
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 1/4 in. (8.29 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 13
Antonio Marescotti (act. 1444–62 in Ferrara)
Paolo Albertini (ca. 1430–1475), dated 1462
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 4 1/4 in. (10.78 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 14
Sperandio di Bartolommeo Savelli (1425/28–d. after 1504)
Bartolommeo Pendaglia (d. 1462), ca. 1452–62
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 3/8 in. (8.52 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 15
Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, called Antico (ca. 1460–1528)
Antonia del Balzo (1461–1538), ca. 1500
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 1 5/8 in. (4.09 cm)
Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection
Cat. 16
Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, called Antico (ca. 1460−1528)
Hercules, possibly by 1496
Bronze, partial gilding and silvering
15 1/8 × 8 3/8 × 4 3/4 in. (38.4 × 21.3 × 12.1 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Miss Helen Clay Frick, 1970
Cat. 17
Maffeo Olivieri (1484–1543/44)
Altobello Averoldo, Bishop of Pola (ca. 1465–1531), ca. 1517–21
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 5/8 in. (9.25 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 18
Unknown Milanese artist
Testone of Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Sixth Duke of Milan (1469–1494), and Lodovico Maria Sforza (1452–1508), 1481–94
Silver, struck
Diam.: 1 1/8 in. (2.87 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 19
Attributed to Cristoforo Foppa, called Caradosso (ca. 1452–1526/27)
Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere) (b. 1443; r. 1503–13), dated 1506
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 1/16 in. (5.21 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 20
Attributed to Cristoforo Foppa, called Caradosso (ca. 1452–1526/27)
Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere) (b. 1443; r. 1503–13), dated 1506
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 5/16 in. (5.84 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 21
Cristoforo di Geremia (ca. 1430–1476)
Alfonso V of Aragon, King of Naples and Sicily (b. 1396; r. 1442–58), ca. 1458
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 15/16 in. (7.47 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 22
Giovanni Filangieri Candida (ca. 1445/50–ca. 1498/99)
Maximilian I of Hapsburg, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1459; r. 1508–19), and Mary, Duchess of Burgundy (1457–1482), ca. 1477
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 23
Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491)
Heraldic Wild Man, early 1470s
Copper alloy, with extensive traces of gilding
8 13/16 × 3 3/4 × 2 3/4 in. (22.4 × 9.5 × 7 cm)
The Frick Collection; Henry Clay Frick Bequest
Cat. 24
Bertoldo di Giovanni (1420/30–1491)
Filippo de’ Medici (1426–1474), 1462–74
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 3/16 in. (5.56 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 25
Bertoldo di Giovanni (ca. 1440–1491)
The Pazzi Conspiracy, 1478
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 9/16 in. (6.56 cm)
Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection
Cat. 26
Attributed to Niccolò di Forzore Spinelli, called Niccolò Fiorentino (1430–1514)
Charles VIII, King of France (b. 1470; r. 1483–98), ca. 1495
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 3/4 in. (9.46 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 27
Unknown Florentine artist
Girolamo Savonarola (1452–1498), after 1492
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 9/16 in. (9.03 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 28
Giovanni Michele Pastorino, called Pastorino de’ Pastorini (ca. 1508–1592)
Girolama Sacrati (ca. 1515–after 1573), dated 1555
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 3/4 in. (7.06 cm)
Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection
Cat. 29
Ludovico Leoni (1542–1612)
Sperone Speroni (1500–1588), after 1560
Lead-tin alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 11/16 in. (6.79 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 30
Leone Leoni (1509–1590)
Andrea Doria, Admiral and Ruler of Genoa (1466–1560), ca. 1541
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 1 5/8 in. (4.15 cm)
The Frick Collection; Gift of Stephen K. and Janie Woo Scher, 2016
Cat. 31
Leone Leoni (1509–1590)
Andrea Doria, Admiral and Ruler of Genoa (1466–1560), and Self-Portrait of Leone Leoni, ca. 1541
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 1 11/16 in. (4.34 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 32
Jacopo Nizzola da Trezzo (1519–1589)
Gianello della Torre (1500–1585), ca. 1550
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 1/8 in. (7.97 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 33
Unknown Milanese artist
Ferrante Loffredo, Marquess of Trevico (d. 1573), mid-16th century
Wax on glass
Diam.: 3 15/16 in. (10.02 cm) (including wooden case)
Scher Collection
Cat. 34
Unknown Milanese artist
Ferrante Loffredo, Marquess of Trevico (d. 1573), mid-16th century
Copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 3/4 in. (6.97 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 35
Alfonso Ruspagiari (1521–1576)
Portrait of a Woman and an Onlooker, ca. 1550
Lead alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 3/4 in. (6.96 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 36
Antonio Abondio (1538–1591)
Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress (1528–1603), dated 1575
Lead alloy, cast
Diam.: 2 5/16 in. (5.82 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 37
MARTINO SA, probably Martino da Savona (act. late 16th century)
Girolamo de’ Franchi Conestaggio (ca. 1530–1618), dated 1590
Copper alloy, cast
2 1/4 × 1 11/16 in. (5.7 × 4.31 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 38
Giovacchino Fortini (1670–1736)
Francesco Riccardi (1648–1719), dated 1715
Gilt copper alloy, cast
Diam.: 3 7/16 in. (8.74 cm)
Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection
Cat. 39
Filippo Balugani (1734–1780)
Giacomo Gradenigo (1721–1796), dated 1777
Gilt silver, struck, with decorative loop
Diam.: 2 5/8 in. (6.67 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 40