Philip II thumbnail 1
Philip II thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 111, The Gilbert Bayes Gallery

Philip II

Medal
1555 (made)
Artist/Maker
Trezzo, Jacopo Da (medallist)
Place of origin
Brussels (made)

This medal was made just the year before Philip became King of Spain, and shortly after his marriage to Mary Tudor, Queen of England. It was probably intended as one of a pair from the same artist. There is also a cameo depicting Philip in the wall case entitled Virtuoso Carving.


Object details

Categories
Coins & Medals
Portraits
Royalty
Sculpture
Object type
Medal
TitlePhilip II (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze, cast
Bronze
Casting
Brief description
Bronze medal, obv, a bust of Philip II of Spain; rev, the chariot of the sun, by Jacopo Da Trezzo, Italy, ca. 1555
Physical description
Bronze medal, obv, a bust of Philip II of Spain; rev, the chariot of the sun
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 67mm
  • Weight: 102.55g
Marks and inscriptions
  • Latin insription; 'PHILIPPVS.REX.PRINC.HISP.AET.S.AN.XXVIII' (Obverse;)
  • Latin inscription; 'IAM.ILLVSTRABIT.OMNIA' (Reverse;)
Object history
Historical significance: Trezzo, a Milanese sculptor, was highly esteemed as a gem engraver and his medals were modelled exquisitely with great delicacy of detail. He entered the service of Philip II c. 1553-4 and may have been a member of the first embassy sent with gifts to Mary Tudor in December 1553. He was in the low countries from 1555 to 1559 going to Spain with the king. In the Netherlands he made a group of medals of Philip and Mary in silver, bronze and lead probably designed as a pair with A271-1910
Subjects depicted
Philip II (Of Spain)
Helios
Summary
This medal was made just the year before Philip became King of Spain, and shortly after his marriage to Mary Tudor, Queen of England. It was probably intended as one of a pair from the same artist. There is also a cameo depicting Philip in the wall case entitled Virtuoso Carving.
Associated object
A.271-1910 (Object)
Bibliographic references
  • Armand, A: Les Médailliers Italiens, Paris, 1883, I, p. 241, No. 2
  • Forrer, L: Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, London, 1902-30, VI, pp. 132-139
  • Fullea, Fernando, Felipe II: un monarca y su época, un príncipe del renacimiento, Madrid: Sociedad Estatal para la Conmemoracion de los centenarios de Felipe II y Carlos V, 1998.
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1860. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 26
  • Trusted, Marjorie, ed. The Making of Sculpture. The Materials and Techniques of European Sculpture. London: 2007, p. 81, pl. 127
  • Attwood, Philip, Italian Medals, c.1530-1600 in British Public Collections, I, 85 p. 120.
  • Rodriguez-Salgado, M J, Armada:1588-1988 London, National Maritime Museum, 1988
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
6759-1860

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Record createdAugust 31, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O102925/philip-ii-medal-trezzo-jacopo-da/
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