Elisabetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino
Medal
end of 15th century (made)
end of 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This medal depicts Elizabetta Gonzaga, wife of Guidobaldo del Montefeltro and Duchess of Urbino (1471-1526), and is made by Adriano Fiorentino at the end of the 15th century.
Born into the Gonzaga ruling house of Mantua, Elisabetta was the wife of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (m. 1489), who succeeded his father Federico da Montefeltro as Duke of Urbino in 1482. Elisabetta’s relations included Isabella d’Este, the wife of Francesco Gonzaga and a leading female cultural figure of the Italian Renaissance. With no children of their own, Guidobaldo’s heir was his nephew Francesco Maria della Rovere, whom he adopted in 1508 (the year of his death).
In a letter to her brother Marchese Francesco (dated May 1495), Elisabetta recommended Adriano Fiorentino as a ‘good sculptor’ who had ‘made some very beautiful medals’ during a three-month stay at Urbino. In addition to Elisabetta’s medal, Adriano produced a medal for her sister-in law, Emilia Pia (V&A 666-1865). Each medal features a pearled border inscribing a profile view of a long-necked woman with a rigid braid falling down her back.
The reverse image was originally interpreted as presenting an image of ill fortune, possibly referring to the hardships that befell the duchy after it was temporarily seized by Cesare Borgia in 1502 (three years after Adriano’s death).
It has since been agreed that the image conveys the Greek myth of Danae, who appears reclining against a window and constrained by a girdle. Danae’s father, Acrisius, imprisoned her in a vain effort to prevent her from conceiving the child that would ultimately cause his destruction. A large cloud gathers to the right of the figure, representing Jupiter, who gains entry to Danae’s cell in the form of golden shower, by which she conceives Perseus. Danae is depicted as nude above the waist in an approach that predates the more erotic representations seen in the 16th century. Danae’s transition from imprisonment to fertility is echoed in the inscribed legend, translated as ‘this you dedicate to fleeting fortune.’ Elisabetta was referred to as ‘the most modest lady on earth’ by contemporary writers, which may correlate with the theme of divine conception in the myth of Danae. However, the relationship between the two sides of medal remains to be fully understood.
Born into the Gonzaga ruling house of Mantua, Elisabetta was the wife of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (m. 1489), who succeeded his father Federico da Montefeltro as Duke of Urbino in 1482. Elisabetta’s relations included Isabella d’Este, the wife of Francesco Gonzaga and a leading female cultural figure of the Italian Renaissance. With no children of their own, Guidobaldo’s heir was his nephew Francesco Maria della Rovere, whom he adopted in 1508 (the year of his death).
In a letter to her brother Marchese Francesco (dated May 1495), Elisabetta recommended Adriano Fiorentino as a ‘good sculptor’ who had ‘made some very beautiful medals’ during a three-month stay at Urbino. In addition to Elisabetta’s medal, Adriano produced a medal for her sister-in law, Emilia Pia (V&A 666-1865). Each medal features a pearled border inscribing a profile view of a long-necked woman with a rigid braid falling down her back.
The reverse image was originally interpreted as presenting an image of ill fortune, possibly referring to the hardships that befell the duchy after it was temporarily seized by Cesare Borgia in 1502 (three years after Adriano’s death).
It has since been agreed that the image conveys the Greek myth of Danae, who appears reclining against a window and constrained by a girdle. Danae’s father, Acrisius, imprisoned her in a vain effort to prevent her from conceiving the child that would ultimately cause his destruction. A large cloud gathers to the right of the figure, representing Jupiter, who gains entry to Danae’s cell in the form of golden shower, by which she conceives Perseus. Danae is depicted as nude above the waist in an approach that predates the more erotic representations seen in the 16th century. Danae’s transition from imprisonment to fertility is echoed in the inscribed legend, translated as ‘this you dedicate to fleeting fortune.’ Elisabetta was referred to as ‘the most modest lady on earth’ by contemporary writers, which may correlate with the theme of divine conception in the myth of Danae. However, the relationship between the two sides of medal remains to be fully understood.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Elisabetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cast bronze |
| Brief description | Medal, bronze, depicting Elizsbetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino (1471-1526), by Adriano Fiorentino, Italy (Florence), end of the 15th century |
| Physical description | Medal of bronze, depicting Elizabetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino (1471-1526), wife of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (married 1489). Obverse; bust to right of Elizabetta, wearing a necklace. Small cap at back of the head, hair in long tightly bound queue. Inscription. Reverse; a female figure, naked to the waist, lying on the ground with her head resting against a gate of fence to the left. She holds a bridle/ girdle in both hands, and above is a mass of flame with streamers and detached flames pointing towards her. Inscription. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Salting Bequest |
| Object history | From the Salting bequest. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This medal depicts Elizabetta Gonzaga, wife of Guidobaldo del Montefeltro and Duchess of Urbino (1471-1526), and is made by Adriano Fiorentino at the end of the 15th century. Born into the Gonzaga ruling house of Mantua, Elisabetta was the wife of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (m. 1489), who succeeded his father Federico da Montefeltro as Duke of Urbino in 1482. Elisabetta’s relations included Isabella d’Este, the wife of Francesco Gonzaga and a leading female cultural figure of the Italian Renaissance. With no children of their own, Guidobaldo’s heir was his nephew Francesco Maria della Rovere, whom he adopted in 1508 (the year of his death). In a letter to her brother Marchese Francesco (dated May 1495), Elisabetta recommended Adriano Fiorentino as a ‘good sculptor’ who had ‘made some very beautiful medals’ during a three-month stay at Urbino. In addition to Elisabetta’s medal, Adriano produced a medal for her sister-in law, Emilia Pia (V&A 666-1865). Each medal features a pearled border inscribing a profile view of a long-necked woman with a rigid braid falling down her back. The reverse image was originally interpreted as presenting an image of ill fortune, possibly referring to the hardships that befell the duchy after it was temporarily seized by Cesare Borgia in 1502 (three years after Adriano’s death). It has since been agreed that the image conveys the Greek myth of Danae, who appears reclining against a window and constrained by a girdle. Danae’s father, Acrisius, imprisoned her in a vain effort to prevent her from conceiving the child that would ultimately cause his destruction. A large cloud gathers to the right of the figure, representing Jupiter, who gains entry to Danae’s cell in the form of golden shower, by which she conceives Perseus. Danae is depicted as nude above the waist in an approach that predates the more erotic representations seen in the 16th century. Danae’s transition from imprisonment to fertility is echoed in the inscribed legend, translated as ‘this you dedicate to fleeting fortune.’ Elisabetta was referred to as ‘the most modest lady on earth’ by contemporary writers, which may correlate with the theme of divine conception in the myth of Danae. However, the relationship between the two sides of medal remains to be fully understood. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.204-1910 |
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| Record created | February 23, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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