Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 43 25 Mar 2020
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A Collection of Papal Medals and Coins, Alexander VII (1599-1655-1667), Fabio Chigi, large cast unpatinated bronze medal, 1659, by Gioacchino Francesco Travani, with the reverse design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, bearded bust l. wearing robes, stole and camauro, ALEXANDER VII. P.M. PIVS. IVST. OPT. SENN. PATR. GENTE. CHISIVS. MDCLIX, rev. Androcles and the Lion in the Circus Maximus, holding shield and with sword raised, the lion crouched at his feet, a cheering crowd behind, MVNIFICO. PRINCIPI. DOMINICVS. IACOBATIVS., in scroll below, ET. FERA. MEMOR. BENEFICII., 94mm. (Molinari 96; Varriano 79; Venuti XX, Miselli 567; Vannel-Toderi 504; Börner 1177; Linc. 1192; Ciechanowiecki 255; Clifford, Spink/Christies, 21 May 1996, lot 186), an excellent cast of light bronze colour, on thin flan, extremely fine
The medal is said to commemorate the end of the plague in Rome and was commissioned by Domenico Jacobacci. Clifford states the medal to be 'probably the finest and most ambitious example of Italian medallic art of the seventeenth century'. The involvement of Bernini is well documented; it was his idea to use the lion as a symbol of remembrance (the lion recognises the gladiator who had once pulled a thorn from its foot).
(800-1200 GBP)
The medal is said to commemorate the end of the plague in Rome and was commissioned by Domenico Jacobacci. Clifford states the medal to be 'probably the finest and most ambitious example of Italian medallic art of the seventeenth century'. The involvement of Bernini is well documented; it was his idea to use the lion as a symbol of remembrance (the lion recognises the gladiator who had once pulled a thorn from its foot).
(800-1200 GBP)