Francesco degli Alidosi, c. 1455-1511, Cardinal of Pavia 1505, Legate of Bologna and Romagna 1508 [obverse] 1508 - 1510

This bronze portrait medal of Francesco degli Alidosi was created by Francesco Francia around the turn of the 16th century. The making of this medal involved skilled hands and specialized knowledge, especially the carving of dies. The artist would have employed tools to incise the details of the portrait into a hard material, likely steel. Molten bronze was then cast from these molds, resulting in multiples, each one bearing the likeness of a powerful individual. Consider the labor involved in its creation, from the mining and smelting of the metal to the careful handwork of the artist. The bronze itself, with its reddish-brown hue and potential for patination, adds to the medal's aesthetic presence. The portrait presents Alidosi in profile, the inscription around him reinforcing his status and identity. The medal’s tactile nature invites closer inspection, beyond its function as a symbol of status. It serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between material, making, and social context in art.