Cosimo I de' Medici, 1519-1574, Duke of Florence 1537 [obverse] 1537

Cast by Domenico di Polo de' Vetri, this bronze medal captures Cosimo I de' Medici, Duke of Florence, in profile. The circular form, with its raised border, immediately presents a self-contained world, a microcosm of power and authority. The texture of the bronze lends a tactile quality, inviting touch, while the incised lettering encircling the portrait anchors the image within a framework of language and decree. The profile view, a classical trope, flattens the Duke into an emblem, an archetype of leadership. Notice how the line of his jaw and nose is echoed by the curve of the medal itself, creating a visual rhyme that reinforces the unity of the image. The armor, meticulously detailed, is not merely decorative but a signifier of power and military might. Each element—the curls of his hair, the intricate design of his armor, the precise lettering—is carefully rendered to convey a sense of order, control, and the deliberate construction of an image. The medal becomes a statement about the nature of representation itself. Here, power is not just wielded but carefully crafted, circulated, and consumed.