Medal Depicting Giovanni de' Medici (1467-1498)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite medal, crafted by Italian sculptor Antonio Francesco Selvi 1739, honors Giovanni de' Medici (1467–1498), the dashing Renaissance military leader known as "Giovanni delle Nere" for his black-banded troops. Produced over two centuries after Giovanni's early death from battle wounds, it reflects the enduring Medici legacy in Florence, where the family wielded immense political and cultural power during the Renaissance. Selvi, a Sienese artist renowned for his intricate medals and wax portraits, created this piece near the end of his career, blending Baroque precision with classical portraiture traditions. The medal's lead medium, coated or combined with wax, was an innovative choice for the era—lead allowed for detailed casting at lower cost than bronze, while wax added a lifelike sheen and tactile warmth, evoking the realism of contemporary wax medallions. Measuring just 8.3 cm in diameter, it captures Giovanni's profile with sharp relief, ideal for intimate display or collection. Such medals served as portable propaganda, celebrating heroic figures and Medici patronage of the arts. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Department of Painting and Sculpture of Europe, this work highlights the evolution of commemorative art from Renaissance humanism to 18th-century revival, inviting visitors to ponder a warrior-prince's timeless allure.

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...