Contessina de' Bardi, died 1473, Wife of Cosimo de' Medici il Vecchio [obverse]
c. 1740s
![Contessina de' Bardi, died 1473, Wife of Cosimo de' Medici il Vecchio [obverse] by Antonio Francesco Selvi](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/contessina-de-bardi-died-1473-wife-of-cosimo-de-nga-103331.webp)
Medium
lead
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 8.6 cm (18.96 lb.) gross weight: 180.16 gr (0.397 lb.) axis: 12:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Lisa and Leonard Baskin
Accession Number
1997.114.42.a
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite lead medal *Contessina de' Bardi, died 1473, Wife of Cosimo de Medici il Vecchio* [verse], crafted around the 1740s by Italian engraver and medalist Antonio Francesco Selvi. 8.6 cm in diameter and weighing a substantial 180.16 grams, this sculpture captures the dignified profile of a pivotal Renaissance figure. Selvi, renowned for his intricate portrait medals, employs the classical obverse format—aligned at the 12:00 axis—to evoke the grandeur of antiquity while honoring Florentine heritage. Contessina de' Bardi (c. 1390–1473), née from a prominent banking family, marrie...
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...