Medal Depicting Isabella de' Medici (1542–1576)
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
144126
Art Historical Context
Discover the intricate "Medal Depicting Isabella de' (1542–1576)" by Antonio Francesco Sel, crafted in 1739 and housed in the Art Institute of Chicago Department of Painting and Sculpture of. This small-scale masterpiece, measuring just 8.3 cm in diameter captures the poised likeness of Isabella, a Renaissance noblewoman from Florence's powerful Medici family. Daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Isabella was renowned for her sharp intellect, patronage of the arts, and unconventional life—marked by rumored scandals and a tragic end at her husband's hands. Selvi, a skilled I...
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...