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Lodovico Brognolo

Medal
ca. 1495 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This medal depicting the observant friar Lodovico Brognolo of Mantua was made by Sperandio.
Sperandio (ca. 1425 - 1504), a prolific medallist if inferior imitator of Pisanello, was born in Mantua and grew up and worked mainly in Ferrara. From 1478 to ca. 1490, however, he worked at Bologna. He got his training from his father. It is not clear when he started his medallic work, but no work could be attributed to him before 1460. It seems that Sperandio was working for Borso d'Este from the early 1460s on a continuous basis.
His activities were quite varied and there is evidence that he was also working as a goldsmith and painter. During a short stay in Faenza he was appointed by the Manfredi family to work in bronze, marble, terracotta and lead, as well as for works in gold, drawings and paintings. Lodovico Gonzaga, bishop of Mantua, recommended him to his brother Gianfrancesco as a cannon founder and architect and that is how Sperandio spent his last years of working in Venice.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLodovico Brognolo (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Brief description
Medal, bronze, bust of Lodovico Brognolo, by Sperandio, Italy, ca. 1495
Physical description
Medal depicts on the obverse the bust to the left of Brognolo, wearing a cowl. Inscription. On the reverse two praying hands, holding a rosary. Inscription.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 8.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'LODOVICVS . BROGNO[L]O . PATRICIVS . MANTVANVS' (obverse)
  • 'SPES . MEA IN DEO . EST . / Opvs . SPERANDEI' (reverse)
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This medal depicting the observant friar Lodovico Brognolo of Mantua was made by Sperandio.
Sperandio (ca. 1425 - 1504), a prolific medallist if inferior imitator of Pisanello, was born in Mantua and grew up and worked mainly in Ferrara. From 1478 to ca. 1490, however, he worked at Bologna. He got his training from his father. It is not clear when he started his medallic work, but no work could be attributed to him before 1460. It seems that Sperandio was working for Borso d'Este from the early 1460s on a continuous basis.
His activities were quite varied and there is evidence that he was also working as a goldsmith and painter. During a short stay in Faenza he was appointed by the Manfredi family to work in bronze, marble, terracotta and lead, as well as for works in gold, drawings and paintings. Lodovico Gonzaga, bishop of Mantua, recommended him to his brother Gianfrancesco as a cannon founder and architect and that is how Sperandio spent his last years of working in Venice.
Bibliographic reference
'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. 23
Collection
Accession number
A.197-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
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