Medal: Presciano de Ferrara 1473

Savelli Sperandio cast this bronze medal depicting Presciano de Ferrara in the 15th century. The inscription "Gratissimus" around the portrait speaks of gratitude, a virtue celebrated since antiquity. Consider the laurel wreath—absent here, yet its ghost lingers. In ancient Rome, it crowned triumphant emperors, a symbol adopted through the Renaissance to denote accomplishment and divine favor. The omission of the laurel wreath here suggests a nuanced understanding of power, perhaps emphasizing civic virtue over military might. The profile portrait itself echoes ancient coins, reviving classical forms to lend gravitas to the sitter. Such conscious revival reveals a deep connection to the past, a cultural memory influencing the present. This isn't mere imitation but a psychological reaching back, imbuing the portrait with layers of historical and cultural meaning. This medal, therefore, is not just a likeness, it’s a complex interplay of symbols, reflecting a profound dialogue between eras, where classical ideals are reborn and reshaped, continuing their eternal, cyclical journey.