Medal
Medal
16th century (made)
16th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This bronze medal depicts Gregory XIV (Niccolo Sfondrati) who served as Pope from 1590-1. He is shown on the obverse side wearing a tippet, hood and cap. On the reverse side the Papal arms are represented.
The portrait medal was used as a way of showing friendship, wealth and scholarship. It was inspired by doublesided Roman coins, which usually had a portrait of the emperor on one side and Latin inscriptions on both sides.
The portrait medal was used as a way of showing friendship, wealth and scholarship. It was inspired by doublesided Roman coins, which usually had a portrait of the emperor on one side and Latin inscriptions on both sides.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Medal |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze |
| Brief description | Medal, bronze, 16th century, Pope Gregory XIV, papal arms. |
| Physical description | Medal of bronze, struck from a die. Gregory XIV (Niccolo Sfondrati) b. 1535: elected Pope in 1590: d. 1591. Obv.: GREGORIVS. XIIII. PON. MAX. Bust to right, wearing a tippet, hood and cap. Rev.: GREGORIVS. XIIII. PON. M. The papal arms. Signed on the line of the shoulder NIC. BONIS. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought for 2s 6d. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This bronze medal depicts Gregory XIV (Niccolo Sfondrati) who served as Pope from 1590-1. He is shown on the obverse side wearing a tippet, hood and cap. On the reverse side the Papal arms are represented. The portrait medal was used as a way of showing friendship, wealth and scholarship. It was inspired by doublesided Roman coins, which usually had a portrait of the emperor on one side and Latin inscriptions on both sides. |
| Bibliographic reference | List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1893. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1894. pp. 164. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1242-1893 |
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| Record created | January 5, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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