Medal Depicting Eleonora Gonzaga (1685–1742)
Medium
Lead with wax
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.3 cm (3 1/4 in.)
Classification
medal
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
144184
Art Historical Context
This finely crafted medal, created by the Italian engraver and medallist Antonio Francesco Selvi 1739, honors Eleonora Gonzaga1685–1742), a noblewoman from the Gonzaga family of Mantua, long-time patrons of the arts. 8.3 cm in diameter, the piece belongs to the Art Institute of Chicago’s Department of Painting and Sculpture of, where it is classified as a medal—a small-scale sculptural form blending portraiture and commemorative art. Medals like this one were a prestigious medium in 18th Europe, often produced during an individual’s lifetime as diplomatic gifts, personal tokens, or symbols of...
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...