Medal

Art Historical Context

This lead medal, crafted in 1541 by the German artist Friedrich Hagenauer, exemplifies the Renaissance revival of portraiture in small-scale form. Created in Cologne, the piece measures just 1 3/8 inches in diameter and features profile images of men, a format inspired by ancient Roman coins. Such medals served as portable commemorations, often honoring notable individuals and reflecting the era’s growing interest in personal legacy and classical ideals. Hagenauer, active in the early sixteenth century, specialized in medals and plaquettes that blended precise observation with elegant relief. Working in lead allowed for fine detail while making these objects more accessible than costly gold or silver versions. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, the medal offers visitors an intimate glimpse into how Renaissance patrons used art to assert identity and status within their communities.

About the Artist

Friedrich Hagenauer · 1490–1546

Friedrich Hagenauer (c. 1490–c. 1546) was a German sculptor and medallist of the Northern Renaissance whose finely wrought portrait medals and carved reliefs placed him among the most accomplished practitioners of his craft in early sixteenth-century Germany. The details of his early life and training remain incompletely documented, but he is believed to have been born in Strasbourg and to have re...