Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi, 1599-1667), Pope 1655 [obverse]

Art Historical Context

This exquisite bronze medal, crafted by the Italian medallist Gasparo Morone Mola in 1663, captures the likeness of Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi, 1599–1667), who ascended to the papacy in 1655. Measuring just 4.03 cm in diameter and weighing 37.69 grams, its intimate scale invites close handling, embodying the Renaissance and Baroque tradition of portrait medals as portable works of art. Displayed with a 12:00 axis, the obverse likely features the pope's dignified profile, a hallmark of commemorative sculpture that blended classical portraiture with contemporary authority. Medals like this were prized in 17th-century Europe for their dual role as propaganda and personal devotion objects, especially for papal patrons who shaped Rome's cultural landscape. Mola, active in Rome, excelled in such small-scale bronzes, often struck or cast to achieve fine detail and a lifelike patina. Produced midway through Alexander VII's reign, it reflects the era's reverence for papal power amid Counter-Reformation fervor. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's sculpture collection through the generous gift of Lisa and Leonard Baskin, this piece offers visitors a tangible glimpse into Baroque portraiture's precision and prestige—art you can not only admire but envision slipping into a pocket for daily inspiration.