Ferrante Gonzaga, Count of Guastalla (1506–1557) 1555 - 1556

This bronze portrait medal of Ferrante Gonzaga was made by Leone Leoni, likely sometime in the mid-16th century. A specialist in three-dimensional likenesses, Leoni here deploys his skills at miniature scale. The metal has a smooth, dark surface, and the circular form gives a sense of wholeness, of completion. Notice how the artist has carefully modeled the Count’s face and armor in relief, using a range of depths to create a sense of volume and detail. This wasn’t cast in a mold: each one of these medals was individually worked, likely through a chasing process, in which the artist used small tools to refine the surface. This would have been painstaking work, requiring a steady hand and careful eye. Skills like these were jealously guarded, and would have been the product of years of training and labor. The value of this kind of object lies not just in the preciousness of the metal, but the intense focus required to make it. It’s a compelling reminder that craft is not just a matter of skill, but also of time, dedication, and knowledge.