Contessina de' Bardi, died 1473, Wife of Cosimo de' Medici il Vecchio [obverse]

Art Historical Context

Behold the exquisite lead medal *Contessina de' Bardi, died 1473, Wife of Cosimo de Medici il Vecchio* [verse], crafted around the 1740s by Italian engraver and medalist Antonio Francesco Selvi. 8.6 cm in diameter and weighing a substantial 180.16 grams, this sculpture captures the dignified profile of a pivotal Renaissance figure. Selvi, renowned for his intricate portrait medals, employs the classical obverse format—aligned at the 12:00 axis—to evoke the grandeur of antiquity while honoring Florentine heritage. Contessina de' Bardi (c. 1390–1473), née from a prominent banking family, married Cosimo de' Medici the Elder in 1414, forging a union that bolstered the Medici dynasty's political and cultural dominance in 15th-century Florence. As Cosimo's steadfast partner, she supported his patronage of the arts and humanism, embodying the era's ideal of noble womanhood amid the Republic's turbulent power struggles. Lead, an unusual yet practical medium for medals, allowed Selvi to experiment with detailed reliefs before casting in precious metals, highlighting 18th-century revival of Renaissance portraiture traditions. This piece, a generous gift from Lisa and Leonard Baskin to the National Gallery of Art, invites us to reflect on enduring legacies of power, family, and artistry across centuries.

About the Artist

Antonio Francesco Selvi · 1679–1755

Antonio Francesco Selvi (1679–1753) was a prominent Florentine sculptor and medallist whose exquisite bronze portraits captured the elegance of late Baroque Italy. Little is known of his early life before he arrived in Florence in 1698, but he quickly established himself in the city's vibrant artistic scene by studying under Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi, the renowned bronze-worker, sculptor, medalli...