Watch List notes:

*Benvenuto Cellini (1500-71), François I of France (1515-47), bronze medal, laureate bust left with sceptre tipped with fleur-de-lis before, rev., horseman galloping right wielding club and riding over fallen female figure; below exergual line, benvenv.f, 41mm (Attwood 768; Arm. I, 147, 3; Pollard Bargello 341 = Vannel & Toderi 663), very fine early cast, some pitting, with brown patina [Clifford lot 79]. The original medal was struck from dies by Cellini. The occasion for its production was probably Cellini's first visit to Paris in 1537 and there is mention in an inventory of the artist's goods made in the following year of "una testa del Re de Francia de piombo" which may refer to a trial striking of the medal in lead. In fact, the Fitzwilliam Museum possess a lead striking of the obverse (Attwood 769) which shows a die crack behind the head of the king which is reproduced on the present cast medal as well as on other examples. Perhaps the dies broke at an early stage – which would explain why most surviving examples of the medal are casts. The reverse represents Fortune as the fallen female figure, her rudder and globe beside her, defeated by Virtue as the horseman, a design borrowed from Roman coinage. (500 - 700)