Portrait medal of Giovanni Alvise Toscani
ca. 1475 (possibly cast early 16th century)
Medium
Bronze (copper alloy with a warm brown patina)
Dimensions
Diam. 7.3 cm, wt. 107.3 g.
Classification
Medals
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1281
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze portrait medal, struck by the enigmatic artist Lysippus the Younger around 1475 (possibly cast in the early 16th), captures the dignified profile of Giovanni Alv Toscani. Measuring just 7.3 cm in diameter and weighing 1073 grams, its warm brown patina enhances the medal's classical allure, evoking ancient Roman coins while celebrating Renaissance humanism. Housed in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the intimate artistry of medals—small-scale masterpieces worn as jewelry or collected by scholars. Portrait medals like this one sur...