File:Italian medals (1904) (14763221745).jpg

Identifier: italiamedal00fabri (find matches)
Title: Italian medals
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Fabriczy, Cornelius von, 1839-1910
Subjects: Medals Medals, Renaissance Renaissance
Publisher: London : Duckworth
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

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t decade of his life, he was to add still further to his title toimmortality by his new creation in plastic art. The opinion, which has recently been expressed, that themaster may have been inspired thereto by the Flemish-Burgundian imperial medallions already mentioned, is prob-ably justified. In the precious volume of drawings, most ofthem due to Pisanello, preserved as the Codex Vallardi in theLouvre, are three sketches from his hand for the reverses ofmedals, which he afterwards adopted in somewhat alteredform for one of his medallions of Alfonso of Naples. Here,in the representation of a triumphal car drawn by four horses,the artist has evidently allowed himself to be influenced by thereverse of the Heraclius medal. He doubtless fully believedthat he had before him ancient works worthy of imitation,and, inspired by the newly awakened reverence for antiquity,was striving to revive an ancient custom in glorifying in like manner the rulers of his time. The earliest of his medals, 28
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Vittore Pisano and his Successors moreover, presents the most remarkable similarities—naturally,apart from style—to the medal of Constantine in size, inmethod of casting, in the manner of depicting the horseman,in the careful representation of the horse itself, even down toits peculiar amble, and finally in the combination of Greekand Latin inscriptions. This is the medal of John VIII., thelast emperor but one of the Palaeologus race, who came toFerrara in 1438 to implore aid against the Turks from theCouncil assembled there for the settlement of the schism(Frontispiece). With it we may class the imposing series of his works— twenty-four signed pieces with twelve others that may assuredly be ascribed to him. It is indeed a proud procession of crowned heads, celebrated princes and tyrants, dreaded condottieri, renowned statesmen and scholars, that the genius of the master; places before our astonished and delighted gaze. In the ardent desire for posthumous fame all have sought to

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