Portrait medal of Cecilia Gonzaga (obverse); Innocence and a Unicorn in a Moonlit Landscape (reverse)

Art Historical Context

Step into the Renaissance world of Pisanello, the masterful Italian artist Antonio di Puccio Pisano (ca. 1395–1455), with this exquisite bronze portrait medal from 1447. Modeled during the height of the Italian Renaissance, it honors Cecilia Gonzaga, a noblewoman from the powerful Gonzaga family of Mantua As one of the earliest revivers of the classical portrait medal—drawing inspiration from ancient Roman coinsPisanello elevated these small-scale sculptures into profound statements of humanism and individuality. This example, an old aftercast from the original mold, captures the era's fascination with realistic portraiture and symbolic allegory. The obverse features Cecilia's elegant profile, rendered with Pisanello's signature precision in fine detail, from the intricate folds of her veil to the subtle modeling of her features, showcasing his expertise in low-relief casting. Flipping to the reverse reveals a poetic scene: Innocence personified alongside a unicorn in a moonlit landscape, evoking purity and chastity—themes resonant with Cecilia's scholarly reputation. Crafted in bronze (a copper alloy) with a warm brown patina beneath worn black wax, the medal's 3 5/16-inch (8.4 cm) diameter and substantial 142.55g weight underscore its tactile luxury. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Robert Lehman Collection since 1975, this medal exemplifies the Renaissance fusion of art, patronage, and mythology, bridging antiquity and modernity for collectors and scholars alike. A wearable masterpiece, it invites you to ponder the grace of a bygone nobility.