Filippo Maria Visconti, 1392-1447, Duke of Milan 1412 [obverse] c. 1441

This bronze medal of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, was made around 1441-42 by the artist Pisanello. The medal is an example of Renaissance artistry, reviving classical forms and celebrating individual achievement. Bronze casting was a complex process. First, a detailed model would have been made, probably in wax. This was then encased in a mold and the wax melted out – the lost-wax method. Molten bronze was poured in, cooled, and the mold broken to reveal the finished medal. The very material of bronze speaks to power and permanence. It is a hard, durable metal, able to capture fine detail, and of course would have been costly. The striking profile portrait and Latin inscription underscore Visconti's status, while the process of production itself, relying on skilled labor, is a testament to human ingenuity. This medal bridges the realms of art, craft, and political ambition. It reminds us that even seemingly simple objects can be rich with cultural significance.