Pietro Lauro, born 1508, Modenese Poet and Scholar [obverse]

Art Historical Context

This bronze medal, created in 1555 by the artist known as Master I.A.V.F., portrays Pietro Lauro, a Modenese poet and scholar born in 1508. Measuring just 5.7 centimeters in diameter, the work exemplifies the Renaissance tradition of portrait medals, which served as portable tributes to notable intellectuals and humanists. The obverse side captures Lauro’s likeness in profile, a format that allowed collectors and admirers to carry or display images of revered figures much like ancient Roman coins. Master I.A.V.F., likely an Italian medalist active in the mid-sixteenth century, worked in bronz...