Mateo Vásquez, c. 1542-1591, Secretary to King Philip II from 1573 [obverse]
c. 1573
![Mateo Vásquez, c. 1542-1591, Secretary to King Philip II from 1573 [obverse] by Spanish 16th Century](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/mateo-vsquez-c-1542-1591-secretary-to-king-philip-nga-108138.webp)
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 5.29 cm (2 1/16 in.) gross weight: 40.92 gr (0.09 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
1998.108.23.a
Art Historical Context
This bronze portrait medal, created around 1573 by a Spanish artist of the 16th century captures Mateo Vásquez (c. 1542–1591), a trusted secretary to King Philip II of Spain Measuring just over 2 inches in diameter weighing nearly 41 grams, it exemplifies the intimate scale of Renaissance medals—small, portable sculptures that served as personal emblems of prestige and loyalty. The obverse features Vásquez's profile, a convention rooted in ancient Roman coinage revived during the Renaissance to honor the elite. In the context of Philip II's expansive reign, when Spain dominated Europe and the...