Pope Gregory XIII (Ugo Buoncompagni, 1502–1585, pope 1572), Promulger of the Gregorian Calendar 1579

This bronze medal of Pope Gregory XIII was made by Giovanni V. Melon, in Rome. The medal commemorates Gregory's promulgation of the Gregorian calendar, a reform that realigned the calendar with the solar year. At first glance, the medal’s design is a testament to power and authority. On one side, a profile of Pope Gregory XIII, his features strong, framed by the papal garments, projects an image of leadership. Turn the medal, and a dragon emerges, symbolizing the Buoncompagni family, his kin. It is a reminder of the intertwining of familial identity and ecclesiastical power during the Renaissance. This medal invites us to contemplate the power of institutions, the weight of history, and the complex, sometimes contradictory, ways in which we mark time.