Mary Tudor, Queen of England (1516-1558, r. 1553, m. 1554), Commemorating her Marriage to Philip of Spain (1527-1598, r. 1556-98)
ca. 1555
Medium
Bronze, brown patina, cast
Dimensions
Diameter: 2 3/4 in. (70 mm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1936
Accession Number
36.110.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medal, crafted around 1555 by Italian artist Jacopo Nizolla Trezzo, commemorates the politically charged marriage of England's Catholic Queen Mary I (r. 1516–1558) to Philip of Spain (r. 1527–1598). Measuring just 2¾ inches in diameter, it features portraits of the royal couple, a nod to ancient Roman coinage Renaissance medalists revived to celebrate momentous events. Cast in bronze with a rich brown patina, the medal's intimate scale made it a portable token of prestige, likely distributed among European elites. Mary's 1554 union with Philip was a strategic alliance ai...