Medal Depicting Giovanni Carlo de' Medici (1611–1663)
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
144168
Art Historical Context
This striking lead medal, created in 1739 by Florentine medallist Antonio Francesco Selvi, portrays Giovanni Carlo de’ Medici nearly eight decades after the cardinal’s death. As a younger son of Grand Duke Cosimo II, Giovanni Carlo was a passionate collector whose famed library and picture gallery enriched Florence’s cultural heritage. Selvi’s posthumous tribute reflects the enduring prestige of the Medici name even as the grand-ducal line neared its end. Measuring just over three inches across, the work combines cast lead with delicate wax modeling, a technique that allowed Selvi to achieve ...
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...