Clement VIII (Pope, 1592–1605)
1598
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 1 3/8 in. (35 mm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
Italian, Rome
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Rupert L. Joseph, 1959
Accession Number
60.55.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
Crafted in 1598 by Roman artist Giorgio Rancetti, this bronze medal portrays Pope Clement VIII (Ippolito Aldobrandini), who reigned from 1592 to 1605. Measuring just 1 3/8 inches (35 mm) in diameter it captures the pontiff in a classic profile view, a hallmark of Renaissance portrait medals. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's European Sculpture andative Arts department, this piece entered the collection through the 1959 bequest of Rupert L. Joseph. Clement VIII's papacy, Rome buzzed with Counter-Reformation fervor, and such medals served as portable emblems of papal authority, diplom...