Portrait medal of Niccolò Piccinino (obverse); A Griffin (reverse) 1440 - 1600

This bronze portrait medal of Niccolò Piccinino was made by Pisanello in Italy in the mid-15th century. Pisanello was celebrated in his time, and today, for a style that combined a late-Gothic taste for elaborate finery with an early-Renaissance interest in classical forms. Italian Renaissance portrait medals were influenced by ancient Roman coins. They functioned as both personal and political statements. Here, Piccinino is framed by a meticulously inscribed Latin text detailing his titles. On the reverse, a griffin may speak to his strength and vigilance. These medals were not currency but objects of prestige that circulated among elites, reinforcing social bonds and political alliances. Their production and distribution were often tied to specific courtly or civic patronage networks. Understanding medals like this requires archival research into the lives of patrons and artists. Ultimately the meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.