Marco Antonio Zucchi
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 89 mm
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
Italian, Florence
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Stephen K. Scher Gift, 2006
Accession Number
2006.386
Tags
Art Historical Context
This finely wrought bronze medal, titled *Marco Antonio Zucchi was created in 1750 by Antonio Francescovi, a prominent Florentine artist known for his expertise in medals and plaquettes. Measuring 89 mm in diameter, it features a detailed profile portrait of the sitter, rendered with the precision typical of Italian Renaissance traditions that persisted into the 18th century. Such small-scale sculptures served as intimate commemorations of notable figures, blending portraiture with decorative elegance. Crafted in bronze—a durable medium favored for its rich patina and ability to capture intri...
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...