John VIII Paleologus
Medal
after 1438-1439 (made)
after 1438-1439 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In 1438–9 John VIII Paleologus, Emperor of Byzantium, attended a conference in Ferrara. His visit was marked by this medal, possibly the first one produced by Pisanello and therefore the first true portrait medal of the Renaissance. Its design set a standard format for many future commemorative medals. The legend in Greek reads, ‘John, King and Emperor of the Romans, the Paleologus’.
Two-sided Renaissance portrait medals were a form developed by Pisanello, and commemorated individuals or events and functioned as gifts and mementoes. They were inspired by the Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, excavated all over Italy and eagerly collected by humanist scholars
Two-sided Renaissance portrait medals were a form developed by Pisanello, and commemorated individuals or events and functioned as gifts and mementoes. They were inspired by the Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, excavated all over Italy and eagerly collected by humanist scholars
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | John VIII Paleologus (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze, cast |
| Brief description | Medal, bronze, bust of Emperor John Palaeologus of Constantinople, by Pisanello, Italy, after 1438-1489 |
| Physical description | Medal depicts on the obverse the bust portrait of John Paleologus, the Emperor of Constantinople with a Greek inscription. On the reverse John Paleologus on horseback before a wayside cross. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Note Inscribed in Greek on the obverse. Translation John de Palaiologos basileus and autocrator of the Romans |
| Object history | Bought, £2. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | In 1438–9 John VIII Paleologus, Emperor of Byzantium, attended a conference in Ferrara. His visit was marked by this medal, possibly the first one produced by Pisanello and therefore the first true portrait medal of the Renaissance. Its design set a standard format for many future commemorative medals. The legend in Greek reads, ‘John, King and Emperor of the Romans, the Paleologus’. Two-sided Renaissance portrait medals were a form developed by Pisanello, and commemorated individuals or events and functioned as gifts and mementoes. They were inspired by the Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, excavated all over Italy and eagerly collected by humanist scholars |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 7711-1863 |
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| Record created | April 27, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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