Lorenzo de' Medici, il Magnifico, 1449-1492 [obverse]

Art Historical Context

This bronze medal, created around 1490 by the Florentine medallist Niccolò Fiorentino, captures Lorenzo de’ Medici—known as “il Magnifico”—near the end of his influential life. As the de facto ruler of Florence from 1469 until his death in 1492, Lorenzo was a central figure of the Italian Renaissance, renowned for his political skill, poetry, and generous patronage of artists such as Botticelli and Michelangelo. The obverse side presents his profile in the classical manner, linking him visually to ancient Roman emperors and underscoring his status as a modern statesman and humanist. Measuring...