Pope Paul II 15th century

This bronze medal of Pope Paul II was made in Rome by Cristoforo di Geremia, sometime around 1470. Di Geremia was among the first artists to revive the ancient Roman tradition of portrait medals. These weren’t simply struck like coinage, but individually cast using the lost wax method. This involved carving a detailed wax model, encasing it in clay, melting out the wax, and pouring in molten bronze. This was a laborious process that involved several stages. The final medal therefore captures an extraordinary amount of detail, from the Pope’s features to the intricate ornamentation of his robes. This kind of detailed work, combined with the relative preciousness of bronze as a material, meant that these medals were relatively high status objects. They circulated among a wealthy elite, who would have understood the classical references and appreciated the skills involved in the making. The medal's form and material speak to a potent combination of artistic ambition, skilled labor, and social positioning.