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Alexander Etruscus

Medal
after 1474 (made)
Artist/Maker
Flavius De Bonis, Hermes (made)
Lysippus the Younger (made)
Place of origin
Italy (made)

This medal depicts the head of a boy, called Alexander Etruscus and is made by medallist Ermes Flavius de Bonis, signing Hermes Flavius. Wesche suggested Flavius de Bonis to be identical with Lysippus the Younger.
Lysippus the Younger was a medalist of the second half of the fifteenth century (active 1470-1484). A 'nephew' or 'grandson' of Cristoforo di Geremia. He is one of the most enigmatic medallists of the 15th century.

Object details

Categories
Coins & Medals
Portraits
Sculpture
Object type
Medal
Titles
  • Alexander Etruscus (generic title)
  • Alessandro Cinuzzi (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Bronze
Brief description
Medal, bronze, Alexander Etruscus (Alessandro Cinuzzi), by Ermes Flavio de Bonis or possibly Lysippus the Younger (the two might be identical), Italy, after 1474
Physical description
Medal in bronze. The obverse presents the profile head of a boy, turned to the left. Inscription. The reverse shows, within a wreath, Pegasus flying to the left, carrying on his back a swan that chases Eros away. A putto, standing on his back, holds his mane; a swan is perched on his crupper. Inscription.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 12.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'ALEXANDER ETRVSCVS ADOLESCENTIAE PRINCEPS' (Obverse)
  • 'HERMES FLAVIVS APOLLINI SVO CONSECRAVIT' (reverse)
    Translation
    Hermes Flavius has offered it to his Apollo
Credit line
Salting Bequest
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Production
The identification of Flavius de Bonis to Lysippus the Younger was suggested by Markus Wesche.
Subjects depicted
Putto
Swan
Wreath
Boy
Pegasus
Cinuzzi, Alessandro
Eros
Summary
This medal depicts the head of a boy, called Alexander Etruscus and is made by medallist Ermes Flavius de Bonis, signing Hermes Flavius. Wesche suggested Flavius de Bonis to be identical with Lysippus the Younger.
Lysippus the Younger was a medalist of the second half of the fifteenth century (active 1470-1484). A 'nephew' or 'grandson' of Cristoforo di Geremia. He is one of the most enigmatic medallists of the 15th century.
Bibliographic references
  • Wesche, Markus, 'Lysippus Unveiled: A Renaissance Medallist in Rome and his Humanist Friends', The Medal, no. 52, Spring 2008, pp. 4-13
  • Hill, George Francis. A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance, Before Cellini, Volume I, Text. London: British Museum, 1930, no. 220
  • 'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 30
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.234-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313237/alexander-etruscus-medal-flavius-de-bonis/
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