Sebastiano Montagnacco, died 1540, Venetian patrician [obverse] c. 1520 - 1530

Editor: This is a bronze portrait medal of Sebastiano Montagnacco, a Venetian patrician, created by Maffeo Olivieri around 1520-1530. The profile is quite striking; the man looks very stern. What strikes you most about it? Curator: For me, the key lies in the materiality and means of production. Bronze wasn't cheap. Casting this medal wasn't a simple process. Who was commissioning this object, and why? Editor: Presumably, Montagnacco himself, as a mark of status? Curator: Precisely. These medals served as portable markers of identity and prestige for elite individuals. Think about the skilled labor involved in designing the mold, casting the bronze, and then chasing the details. Consider where this bronze came from; who mined it, smelted it. This "high art" is deeply entangled with the reality of early modern industry and trade. The very inscription becomes part of the material, highlighting status. What message was he intending to convey to the rest of the world through this object? Editor: That makes so much sense. The choice of bronze transforms it from a simple image to a powerful statement of wealth and power, dependent on exploiting available raw materials. So much more than just aesthetics. Curator: Exactly! We often overlook the tangible processes and social networks embedded in objects like these, prioritizing artistic genius instead of interrogating who profits from that "genius." Understanding the material production reveals deeper narratives of power, labor and consumption. Editor: I will never look at Renaissance portraiture the same way. Seeing it in the context of labor makes it so much more alive and critical! Curator: Absolutely. It's about moving beyond the surface to explore the underlying networks of making and meaning.