Medal of Pope Urban VIII
Medal
1629 (made)
1629 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This bronze medal of Pope Urban VIII depicts a scene commemorating the canonisation of Andrea Corsini by Urban VIII on 22 April, 1629. Corsini was an Italian Carmelite friar and Bishop of Fiesole who served Pope Urban V (1362-70). He was known for his charitable work and the many miracles attributed to him. Corsini died in Florence in 1373.
The medal is by Gasparo Mola (about 1580-1640) and bears his signature. Mola was a goldsmith, medallist, armourer and mint-engraver who worked in Milan, Florence and Turin. He was a superbly skilled metalworker and an example of his work includes a magnificent parade helmet and shield made for the Medici court and once attributed to Benvenuto Cellini which is now in the Bargello museum in Florence. Mola moved to Rome in 1623 where he was made master engraver at the Papal Mint in 1625. The design of the reverse side of this medal seems to be an elaboration of the image on the medal of Gregory XV of 1622, by Giacomo Antonio Moro, who was Mola's predecessor at the Papal mint and who died in 1625.
The medal is by Gasparo Mola (about 1580-1640) and bears his signature. Mola was a goldsmith, medallist, armourer and mint-engraver who worked in Milan, Florence and Turin. He was a superbly skilled metalworker and an example of his work includes a magnificent parade helmet and shield made for the Medici court and once attributed to Benvenuto Cellini which is now in the Bargello museum in Florence. Mola moved to Rome in 1623 where he was made master engraver at the Papal Mint in 1625. The design of the reverse side of this medal seems to be an elaboration of the image on the medal of Gregory XV of 1622, by Giacomo Antonio Moro, who was Mola's predecessor at the Papal mint and who died in 1625.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Medal of Pope Urban VIII |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze |
| Brief description | Medal, bronze, Italian, Gasparo Mola, 1629 |
| Physical description | Medal in bronze, the obverse side with the bust of Pope Urban VIII to the right, wearing the Papal tiara and cope, his right hand raised in the act of benediction with the inscription VRBAN VIII. PON. M. AN. VI, signed GAS. MOLO. The reverse side depicts the canonisation of Andrea Corsini with the Pope enthroned beneath the baldacchino, a sculpted bronze canopy of St Peter's Basilica, surrounded by his prelates, a dove shining above represents the Holy Spirit with the inscription BEATO ANDREA INTER SANCTOS RELATO and in the exergue ROMAE. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mr Michael Hall |
| Object history | Papal medals commemorated key events and were often given as gifts. Pope Urban VIII commissioned a number of other pontifical medals from Gasparo Mola including; View of the harbour of Civitavecchia, The Pope kneeling before the archangel Saint Michael, The Transfiguration and canonisation of Saint Mary Magdalena of Pazzi. Papal medals were collected in the seventeenth century by those interested in these small sculptural objects which captured pre-eminent figures and historical events. The British Museum also has an example of this medal. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This bronze medal of Pope Urban VIII depicts a scene commemorating the canonisation of Andrea Corsini by Urban VIII on 22 April, 1629. Corsini was an Italian Carmelite friar and Bishop of Fiesole who served Pope Urban V (1362-70). He was known for his charitable work and the many miracles attributed to him. Corsini died in Florence in 1373. The medal is by Gasparo Mola (about 1580-1640) and bears his signature. Mola was a goldsmith, medallist, armourer and mint-engraver who worked in Milan, Florence and Turin. He was a superbly skilled metalworker and an example of his work includes a magnificent parade helmet and shield made for the Medici court and once attributed to Benvenuto Cellini which is now in the Bargello museum in Florence. Mola moved to Rome in 1623 where he was made master engraver at the Papal Mint in 1625. The design of the reverse side of this medal seems to be an elaboration of the image on the medal of Gregory XV of 1622, by Giacomo Antonio Moro, who was Mola's predecessor at the Papal mint and who died in 1625. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.38-1965 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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