Innocent XIII (Pope 1721–24)
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 48 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
60.55.32
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite bronze medal *Innocent XIII (Pope 1721–24)*, crafted by the master Italian engraver Ermenegildo Hamerani in 1721. Measuring just 48 mm in diameter, this intimate portrait captures the newly elected pope in classic profile view—a hallmark of Roman medal-making tradition. Hailing from Rome during the late Baroque era, Hamerani, part of a renowned family of papal mint engravers, produced these small-scale masterpieces as official commemoratives, often struck or cast in bronze for their enduring luster and prestige. Papal medals like this one served vital diplomatic and propa...