Medal Depicting Lorenzo de' Medici (1600–1648)
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
144160
Art Historical Context
This exquisite medal, crafted by the Italian artist Antonio Francesco Sel in 1739, honors Lorenzo de' Medici (0–1648), a figure from the illustrious Medici family lineage synonymous with Renaissance patronage and Florentine power. Selvi, a master medalist from Siena active in the early 18th century, specialized in small-scale portraiture that captured the grandeur of historical subjects with remarkable precision. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's of Painting and Sculpture of, this piece measures just 8.3 cm in diameter, inviting close inspection to appreciate its intimate detail. Medal...
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...