Consalvo Fernandez de Cordoba, 1453-1515, called the Great Gaptain [obverse] c. 1550

This bronze medal portraying Consalvo Fernandez de Cordoba was crafted by Annibale Fontana in the late 16th century. It immortalizes the Great Captain with a profile bust encircled by an inscription of his titles and virtues. The profile portrait itself is a symbolic echo of ancient Roman coinage, a deliberate revival of classical antiquity during the Renaissance, which aimed to link rulers and influential figures with the glory of the Roman emperors. The very act of creating a medal, a portable object designed for distribution, reflects a desire to disseminate an image and, by extension, propagate a certain idea or ideal. This impulse connects to the psychological need to assert dominance and ensure remembrance, a theme that recurs throughout history. Like the faces on ancient coins, the image of Consalvo is an archetype, endlessly imprinted and reborn throughout time.