Girolamo Panico, died 1558, and Pompeo Ludovisi, died 1565 [obverse]

Art Historical Context

This exquisite bronze medal, struck by the renowned Paduan artist Giovanni daino in the mid-16th, captures the double portrait of Girolamo Panico (d. 1558) and Pompeo Ludovisid. 1565) on its obverse. Measuring just 3.85 cm in diameter and weighing 38.19 grams, this small-scale sculpture exemplifies the Renaissance mastery of the medal form—a portable art object blending portraiture, sculpture, and numismatics. Cavino, a leading figure in Padua's vibrant medal-making tradition, was celebrated for his intricate struck bronzes, which achieved remarkable depth and detail through die-stamping techniques. Renaissance medals like this one served as personal memorials, diplomatic gifts, or collector's items, honoring prominent figures such as these likely Italian nobles or patrons amid the era's political and cultural ferment. The obverse's dual profile composition highlights the intimate, humanistic focus of the period, evoking ancient Roman coins while advancing Italian Renaissance portraiture. Its 7:00 axis orientation adds to the technical precision typical of Cavino's workshop. Housed in the National Gallery of Art as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection, this medal invites visitors to appreciate the artistry of everyday commemoration, bridging sculpture and history in a gleaming bronze token of 16th-century elite life.

About the Artist

Giovanni da Cavino · 1500–1570

**Giovanni da Cavino: The Paduan Master of Medals and Antiquity** Giovanni da Cavino, born in May 1500 in Padua to goldsmith Bartolommeo di Giovanni from Cavino d'Arsego, inherited his family's craft from an early age. His father served as his initial master until Bartolommeo's death in 1517, after which Cavino trained in the workshop of the renowned Paduan sculptor Andrea Riccio (1470–1532), who...