Sebastian Zäh, 1527-1598, Merchant and Financier [obverse] 1572

Editor: So, this bronze medal, dating back to 1572, depicts Sebastian Zäh, a merchant and financier. Antonio Abondio was the artist. There's almost something…humble about it, even though it's a portrait commemorating someone important. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Humble, yes, yet determined! Look at the resolute set of his jaw, the controlled curls of his beard… It whispers of a shrewd businessman, doesn't it? Consider this, though: a medal wasn’t just a portrait. It was a statement. A carefully crafted message, reproduced, traded, and given as gifts. Imagine the quiet clink of these medals changing hands across Europe's financial hubs. What stories they could tell! Does that make you look at it differently? Editor: It does! So, the medal itself is part of the story… Almost like a very early form of influencer marketing! It's interesting to think of its function rather than just seeing it as a static object. The subtle details – like the way the light catches his collar - seem much more deliberate now. Curator: Exactly! It is not the flashiest piece, granted, but consider how skillfully Abondio captured Zäh’s character in such a small format, the weight of his responsibilities somehow imbued within this disc. These small things become grand. Editor: I see that! It is great to reflect on what role such an object fulfilled. Curator: I agree - the best art opens doors to new understandings, prompting fresh inquiries.