Prince Charles Edward Stuart, 1720-1788 (The Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie) [obverse] 1729

Ottone Hamerani crafted this bronze medal of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, likely in Rome where the artist lived and worked. The medal's small scale speaks volumes about its function as a portable symbol. Bronze, a relatively durable and affordable material, allowed for wider distribution than precious metals. Consider the process: a master model carved in wax or clay, then cast in bronze using the lost-wax technique. This enabled the production of multiple, identical copies, essential for disseminating the image of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The sharp relief of the portrait, the crisp lettering, and the overall impression of quality speak to Hamerani's skill as a medalist, a specialized craft requiring precision and artistry. Medals like this one blur the lines between art, craft, and political propaganda, reminding us that even small objects can carry significant cultural weight.