Melchior Pfinzing, 1481-1535, Provost of Saint Sebald's in Nuremberg [obverse]

Art Historical Context

This bronze medal, created in 1519 by the German artist Hans Schwarz, captures Melchior Pfinzing, who served as Provost of Saint Sebald’s Church Nuremberg from 1512 until his death in 1535. Measuring just under two inches in diameter, the obverse presents a finely detailed portrait that reflects the Renaissance revival of classical medallic art. Such small-scale bronze works functioned much like portable portraits, allowing patrons and scholars to commemorate influential figures and share their likenesses across Europe. Hans Schwarz, active in Augsburg and Nuremberg, was among the earliest and most accomplished German medalists of the sixteenth century. Working directly in bronze, he employed precise casting techniques to achieve sharp relief and subtle modeling of facial features and clothing. These medals bridged sculpture and numismatics, drawing inspiration from ancient Roman coins while serving contemporary needs for personal commemoration and civic pride. Today part of the National Gallery of Art’s Samuel H. Kress Collection, the medal offers a tangible link to early modern Nuremberg’s vibrant cultural and religious life. It preserves the memory of Pfinzing’s ecclesiastical role during a period of significant change leading up to the Reformation.