Teodoro Trivulzio, 1597-1657, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Count of Mesocco and Valle Misolcina 1622 1622 - 1626

This bronze medal of Teodoro Trivulzio was made by Master M.A.S. sometime between 1625 and 1674. The making of a medal like this began with the carving of dies in hardened steel, a laborious process of reverse modeling. These would then be used to strike multiple versions of the image, so its availability could be widespread, at least among the elite. The choice of bronze is significant too. Gold and silver were reserved for currency, while bronze was perfect for celebrating an individual's status and taste. It could be cast relatively inexpensively, and allowed for a convincing illusion of reality, especially when patinated. It is interesting to consider the cultural status of such an object today: is it art, or simply a well-crafted artifact? The medal acts as a kind of early photograph, demonstrating the power of reproducible images, and it invites us to consider how such technologies have always mediated our understanding of value, labor, and individual identity.