Our forthcoming auction of Renaissance Medals and Plaquettes from the Max Falk Collection

Italian Medals

RA1.  Pisanello (Antonio Pisani),  John VIII Palaeologos, 1438

Cast bronze, 99 mm.

Hill 19; Currency of Fame 4 (103.6 mm.), 4a (lead: 101.4 mm.); Kress 1 (lead: 103 mm.); Molinari 1 (lead: 105mm.); Bargello (V&T) 3-7, 97 mm-102 mm.; NGA 1

RA3   Matteo de' Pasti,  Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, 1446

Cast bronze, holed, 42 mm.

Hill 165; Kress 58 (43mm.); NGA 30

Examples of this issue were used in building foundation deposits.

RA4   Matteo de' Pasti,  Isotta degli Atti, 1446

Cast bronze, holed, 41 mm.

Hill 188; Kress 64 - 40mm; NGA 35-36

Examples of this issue were used in building foundation deposits.

RA2   Petrecino,  Borso d’Este, 1460

Cast bronze hexagonal uniface, 87 x 57 mm.

Hill 96 note; MMA.1925.142.27; Berlin (Plechstein 175; 93 x 58; this shape); Bargello (V&T) 49 (as round medal); NGA 5; (as a round medal)

RA5   Sperandio of Mantua, Sigismondo d’Este, 1475

Cast bronze, holed, 82 mm.

Hill 367 NGA 86 (lead, 86.9 mm)

RA33          Sperandio of Mantua, Francesco Gonzaga, c.1483

Cast bronze, holed, 90 mm.

Hill 390: Berlin (91 mm); Bargello (V&T) 147 (90 mm.); BM (lead, 92.5 mm); V & A (91 mm.)

RA6   Anonymous, Savanarola, 1493

Cast bronze, holed, 59.5 mm.

Hill 1076; Bargello (V&T), 380-82, 60-62 mm.

RA34          Anonymous medallist of the Roman Emperors (last quarter of the fifteenth century), Faustina the Elder

Cast lead, holed; fine old cast, no chasing, some wear, 110 mm.

Hill 735 (Brescia, 110 mm.); V&A (110 mm.); Paris (110 mm.); Venice, Correr (110mm.); T.W. Greene ex Bardini (lead, 115 mm.); Kress 204 (110mm);  Molinari 15 (bronze, 110 mm.); NGA 229 (copper 110 mm.)

RA35          Anonymous medallist of the Medici Restoration,  Giuliano de'Medici, Duc de Nemours, c. 1515

Cast bronze, uniface, holed, 57 mm.

Hill 883 (Milan, 58 mm.); T & V 2031, 58 mm. (Legend normal)

RA38          Anonymous, Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli, c. 1530

Cast bronze, piercing plugged, 44 mm.

Attwood 1206 (BM bronze, piercing plugged – 44 mm.); T & V 1728, 45 mm.

RA25          Giovanni da Cavino, self-portrait with Alessandro Bassano, c.1540

Struck bronze, some gilding, holed, 36 mm.

Attwood 273 (BM: 37 mm, struck); Currency of Fame 71 (Kress: 36.5 mm); Lawrence 79; Bargello (V&T) 584 (36 mm.);  T & V 929; NGA 444

RA36          Anonymous, Pietro Strozzi, c. 1550

Cast lead, uniface, 67 mm.

Attwood 1176 (BM, 72 mm.); T & V 1997, 74 mm.

RA24          Pastorino de' Pastorini, Lodovico Ariosto, c.1555

Cast bronze, gilt and holed, 37.5 mm.

Attwood 538 (see text for legend variant) (BM: 37 mm., 38 mm.); Bargello (V&T) 1042-43, 35.7 mm., 38.5 mm.; T & V 1839

RA39          Anonymous, Giovanni Battista Marino, c. 1560

Cast bronze, 40 mm.

Attwood 763 (BM, 40 mm.); V&A (40 mm.)

RA37          Anonymous, Beatrice Roverella Rangoni, c. 1575

Cast bronze, 59x62 mm.

Attwood 419 (BM lead – 58 x 62 mm);  Kress 499 (bronze, 57x61 mm.); Middeldorf  73 (bronze – 58 x 61.6 mm.); T & V 1361, 58 x 61 mm.; NGA 576 (61 x 57.5 mm)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

RA40 Anonymous, Carlo Borromeo, c. 1584

Gilt bronze, chased, 49 mm.

Attwood 199 (BM gilt – 53 mm.; BM chased – 49 mm.; Fitzwilliam - 49 mm. and 48.mm.); Bargello (V&T) 509, 50 mm.; T & V 286, 56 mm.

A45   Satirical pope-cardinal,  c. 1600

Cast bronze, 27 mm.

Barnard, Satirical Medals; Michael Hall 2507 var. (3 examples).

RA7   Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Saints Peter and Paul, Virgin Mary, 1626

Cast bronze, holed, 2 collection numbers painted on reverse, 70 mm.

Cf. Dworschack in JPK 55 (1934), 28, n.2 and Abb. 1; Sotheby 27 May 1974, 194.

Netherlandish Medals

RA26  Jacques Jonghelinck, Vigilius van Aytta of  Zuichem, 1568

Gilt bronze, indications of possible loop removed, 54 mm.

Kress 633 (51 mm.); Lobbecke 165: 53 mm.; NGA 772, 51.5 mm.; Smolderen 63.

German Medals

RA28          Hans Reinhart the Elder, Adam and Eve, Crucifixion, c.1536

Gilt silver, old loop, loops and other decorations soldered on, 56 mm.

Habich 1969 (Leipzig: 56mm); V&A (gilt silver): Habich 1974, other reverse 53.5), Lobbecke 569 (silver, 56 mm.)

RA30 Michel Hohenauer, George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony, 1537

Struck (?) silver, 42.5 mm.

Habich 1902 (Dresden, Berlin, Lanna (struck))

RA43 Wolf Milicz, David and Goliath; Jonathan and David, c. 1540

Cast silver, gilt, 43 mm.

Katz 306; Lanna 1384; Lanz 33, 262

RA42          Concz Welcz, Charles V, 1550

Cast silver, gilt, loop removed, 44.5 mm.

Katz 212; Lanna 617; Lanz 33, 236; Lobbecke 481 (struck silver, 46 mm.     0

RA44          Workshop of Nickel Milicz, Abraham and Isaac; Christ and Simon, 1565

Cast silver, gilt, looped, 47 mm.

Katz 2392; Lanna 1355; Lobbecke 512 (silver, 49mm.); Lanz 33, 299.

RA29          Monogramist MS, Sebastian Welser, 1566

Cast silver, loop removed, 32 mm.

Habich 1753; Lanna 3, 1030; V&A (lead, 32 mm.)

RA59          Hubert Gerhard or workshop, William V of Bavaria,1587

Silver, loop removed, 29 mm. Habich 3201 (31 mm).

French Medals

RA27          Guillaume Dupré, Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, 1620

Cast bronze, old loop; fine old cast, excellent detail, little cleaning, 60 mm.

Jones 52 (BM: 59 mm, 58 without rim); BN (59-61 mm.); Lobbecke 209 (bronze 64 mm., including loop); NGA 648, (66 mm. with broad edge)

RA46          Jean Warin, Louis XIV and Anne of Austria, 1643

Cast bronze, loop attached, 55 mm.

Jones 2, 200 (struck, 57 mm.); Oxford (cast bronze, 55 mm.)

Italian Plaquettes

RA8   Giovanni di Fondulino Fonduli [AKA Master IO. F.F], Allegory of Fidelity, 1468-74

Cast bronze, holed, old collection number painted on back, 56 mm.

Kress 112O; Wilson NGA 97.1, 1957.14.446a; Brera 8 (Rossi 41, att. As Mantua school), 56 mm.

RA9   Giovanni di Fondulino Fonduli [AKA Master IO. F.F], Gaius Scaevola Mucius, 1468-74

Cast bronze, holed, old collection number painted on back, 55 mm. Kress 101; Bargello 118 (55 mm.), 119 (55 mm.)’

The Kress example is shield shaped but other examples are round like this.  Some examples were used in sword hilts. The plaquette was also used to stamp bindings in 15th century printed books (incunabula).

RA10          Moderno (late fifteenth century), Hercules and Cacus (Galeazzo Mondella?)

Gilt cast bronze, holed on top and sides, 57 mm.

Kress 135 (rectangular); Morgenroth  241 (round); Bargello 146, 147, 148 (all rectangular)

RA11          Moderno (late fifteenth century), Battle scene

Gilt cast bronze, 53 mm.

Kress 186: NGA 1957.14.340.

RA15          Moderno (late fifteenth century), Lion hunt

Cast bronze, collection number and label on back, 75 mm.

Kress 168 (82 mm.); BM (75 mm.); Oxford (85 mm.); Morgenroth 249, 250; Bange 796; Morton and Eden, 4/14/2002 lot 552 (78 mm.); Bargello 173 (77 mm.)

RA19          Moderno (late fifteenth century), Saint Sebastian

Cast bronze, holed, 78 x 57 mm.

Ex Stefano Bardini coll. (New York: American Art Association 4/23/1918, lot 191).

Kress 154 (77 x 57 mm.); Bargello 145 (76 x 56)

RA22          Moderno (late fifteenth century), Presentation at the Temple

Cast bronze, holed, old collection number painted on back, 100 x 63x mm.

Kress 145 (99 x 64 mm); V&A (113 x 76 mm.); Bargello 158 (98 x 64)

RA55          Anonymous, Christ tied to a pillar, scourged by two men in tunics

Cast bronze, 58 x 72 mm.

RA58          Anonymous, shield with mask at bottom and protruding

Cast bronze , 41 mm.

RA14 Late-fifteenth century Paduan artist, Vulcan and Aeneas

Gilt bronze, filled hole, 67 mm.; Poznan 79, 67.5 mm.

Kress 329: NGA 1957.14.388.

RA16          Anonymous late fifteenth century, Diomedes with a cult statue of Pallas Athena

Cast bronze, holed, 51 x 42 mm.

Kress 256 (38 x33 mm); MMA 27.14.4 (51 x 41mm.); Bardini 7; Bargello 13 (49 x 40 mm.)

RA17          Anonymous late fifteenth century, Diomedes with a cult statue of Pallas Athena

Cast bronze, holed, 49x40 mm.

Kress 256 (38 x33 mm); MMA 27.14.4 (51 x 41mm.); Bardini 7.

RA18          Anonymous late fifteenth century, Apollo and Marsyas

Cast bronze, old collection number painted on back, 42 x 34 mm.

Kress 246 (42 x 34 mm.); Spink 1/24/2008, lot 2 (42 x 34 mm.); Bargello 15 (38 x 32 mm.)

RA54          Anonymous, ancient male bust

Cast bronze, apparently cast from ancient cameo or gem, 37 x 27 mm.; Bargello 37 (as Cicero, cf. NGA)

RA50 Anonymous late fifteenth century, Nero

Cast bronze, 44 x 56 mm.

RA41          Anonymous late fifteenth century, Agrippa

Cast bronze, 44 mm.

Cf. note to Hill 541.

RA51 Anonymous late fifteenth century, Emperor on horseback left, holding globus cruciger, before river with city view, shield with globus cruciger and A in upper right field

Cast bronze, 35 x 60 mm.

RA56          Anonymous late fifteenth century, bearded ancient man right (philosopher?)

Cast bronze, 38 x 43 mm.

RA57          Anonymous late fifteenth century, Persephone (?) abducted

Cast bronze, 29 x 36 mm.

RA48          Pseudo-Fra Antonio da Brescia, Sleeping nymph and two satyrs, c.1500

Cast bronze, old collection number on obverse, 56x55 mm.

Kress 189R; Morgenroth 266, Rosenheim 714.

RA49 Valerio Belli?, Three women and one man at ancient altar, temple dome above, c.1500

Cast bronze, 37 mm.

Not listed by Attwood for Belli, as attributed on the label on back.

RA21 Anonymous medallist after Giovanni Bernardi da Castelbolognese, from a drawing by Michelangelo, Prometheus

Cast bronze, holed, 79 x 51 mm.

Cf. Lobbecke 824; Molinier II, 333 & 589.

RA12          Anonymous mid-sixteenth century, The Triumph of Fame

Gilt cast bronze, 26 x 73 mm.

Cf. Bange, Italienischen Bronzen 993-95; Morton and Eden, 4/14/2002, 569.

RA13          Anonymous mid-sixteenth century, The Triumph of Love

Gilt cast bronze, 26 x 74x mm.

Bange, Italienischen Bronzen 994 (?).

RA47 Anonymous, Aelia Paetina (second wife of Claudius), c. 1600

Cast bronze, hollow, 57 x 43 mm.

Michael Hall 216 (as a circular medal with legend, 85 mm., cf 220 ill. 1)

RA53          Anonymous, griffin and goose atop weasel in wreath

Cast bronze, pierced, 5 bosses on back, 54 mm.

Northern Plaquettes

RA23          Anonymous sixteenth century, Polyhymnia and Erato

Cast lead, intaglio back, bronzed, with scrolled hanger at top, holed, 92 x 103 mm.

Ex Robert von Hirsch, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 6/22/1978, lot 363.

Cf. engraving by Hendrik Goltzius (Polyhymnia with caduceus), medal by Peter Flotner (Erato with lute).

RA31          Peter Flötner, Dido

Cast bronze, back with connection mount, scratches, old collection number, 69 mm.

Löbbecke 887 (83mm.); Bernhart Medaillen und Plaketten, p. 52, #59 (83 mm.); MMA: lead, 08.80.42; BM: (lead, ex Sloane 1753: 75 mm.); Weber, 61.1

RA20          Caspar Enderlein, Spring, 1611

Cast tin, looped and holed at top, 58 x 72 mm.

Cf. Morgenroth 387; Weber 751,1 (62 x 72 mm)

RA32          Paul Hübner, Venus and Cupid

Cast bronze, 77 x  96.5 mm.

Kress 431 (looped, 77 x 103 mm.).

RA52 Netherlands? Anonymous, Horseman left before city view, c.1700

Cast bronze, octagonal, 3 piercings in border, piercing in field, old collection number on back, 58 x 74 mm. (with border, 52 x 71 mm.).

Works cited

Klaus Pechstein, Bronzen und Plaketten, Kataloge des Kunstgewerbemuseums Berlin 3, Berlin 1968

John Graham Pollard, Renaissance Medals, The Collections of the National Gallery of Art, Systemic Catalogue, 2 vols. Washington 2007.

Francesco Rossi, Plachette e rilievi di bronzo nell’età del Mantegna, Milan, 2006.

Maria Stahr, Plakiety Renesansowe / Renaissance Plaquettes, Poznan 1994

Giuseppe Toderi and Fiorenza Vannel Toderi, Placchette, secoli XV-XVIII nel Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, 1996

Giuseppe Toderi and Fiorenza Vannel, Le medaglie italiane del XVI secolo, 3 vols., Florence, 2000.

Fiorenza Vannel and Giuseppe Toderi, Medaglie italiane del Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Vol. 1, Secoli XV-XVI, Florence, 2003; 2 Secolo XVII, Florence, 2005.

Ingrid Weber, Deutsche, Niederländische und Französische Renaissanceplaketten, 1500-1650,  2 vols. Munich, 1975.