Medal: Niccolo Piccinino

Pisanello (Antonio Pisano) Italian

Not on view

Active in Verona and the Italian courts, the celebrated master Pisanello left behind a significant legacy, including a large corpus of drawings, several paintings, and the devopment of the Renaissance portrait medal. Inspired by Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, the medals commemorated individuals or events and functioned as gifts and mementoes. This medal depicts Nicolo Piccinino, a renowned mercenary soldier of Perugia, who was in the service of the Duke of Milan, Filipp Maria Visconti, in the years 1440-41, when this medal was produced. The she-griffin of Perugia suckling two children decorates the reverse. The course aftercast may date to the nineteenth century.

Medal: Niccolo Piccinino, Pisanello (Antonio Pisano) (Italian, Pisa or Verona by 1395–1455), Copper alloy with reddish brown patina and traces of dark wax; pierced.

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Medal: Niccolo Piccinino, Pisanello (Antonio Pisano) (Italian, Pisa or Verona by 1395–1455), Copper alloy with reddish brown patina and traces of dark wax; pierced.
Medal: Niccolo Piccinino, Pisanello (Antonio Pisano) (Italian, Pisa or Verona by 1395–1455), Copper alloy with reddish brown patina and traces of dark wax; pierced.

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