Medal
Medal
second half of 15th century (made)
second half of 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This cast bronze medal represents Giovanni Lodovico Toscani, a Milanese lawyer. On the obverse side he is shown to the left, wearing a cap while on the reverse there is an inscription within a laurel wreath.
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. Renaissance medals had a portrait on the obverse side (front) and often a motto or allegorical figure on the reverse, underlining the qualities of the person shown in the portrait.
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. Renaissance medals had a portrait on the obverse side (front) and often a motto or allegorical figure on the reverse, underlining the qualities of the person shown in the portrait.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Medal |
| Materials and techniques | Cast bronze |
| Brief description | Medal, cast bronze, Giovanni Lodovico Toscani, second half 15th century. |
| Physical description | Medal, cast bronze. Giovanni Lodovico Toscani, a Milanese lawyer (d. 1475). Obv.: IOHANNES ALOISIVS TVSCANVS ADVOCATVS. Bust to left, wearing a cap. Rev.: PREVENIT AETATEM INGENIVM PRECOX. Legend within a laurel wreath. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought for £7. 0s. 4d. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This cast bronze medal represents Giovanni Lodovico Toscani, a Milanese lawyer. On the obverse side he is shown to the left, wearing a cap while on the reverse there is an inscription within a laurel wreath. 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. Renaissance medals had a portrait on the obverse side (front) and often a motto or allegorical figure on the reverse, underlining the qualities of the person shown in the portrait. |
| Bibliographic reference | List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1894. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1895. pp. 34 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 239-1894 |
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| Record created | January 12, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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