Clemente della Rovere, Bishop of Mende 1483-1504, Brother of Giuliano [reverse] c. 1494 - 1499

This bronze portrait medal was made by Giovanni Candida in the late 15th century. Candida was a master of this particular art form, taking a relatively humble material and elevating it through incredible skill. The process would have involved carving a highly detailed model, probably in wax, and then using this as the basis for a mold. Molten bronze would then be poured in. What we see here is not just an image, but also the trace of all that labor. There’s also the economic context. Portrait medals like this were luxury goods, pure and simple. Their purpose was to broadcast the importance of the sitter, in this case Clemente della Rovere, a Bishop. So, while seemingly modest, it’s actually a testament to the hierarchies of the Renaissance, and the ways that artists like Candida were essential to maintaining them. Next time you see a medal, think not only of the person portrayed, but also of the many hands that brought it into being.