Allegory of Peace(?), with Abundance Seated on a Bull and Psyches Flying About [reverse] 1564

Gianpaolo Poggini created this bronze Allegory of Peace, a circular medal, in the late Renaissance. The composition centres around a figure seated upon a bull, surrounded by winged Psyches. The patinated bronze surface, with its varied texture, gives a tactile quality to the raised figures and inscriptions. The design employs classical motifs—the bull symbolizes strength and abundance while the Psyches, or souls, suggest transformation and renewal. Poggini uses these symbolic forms to create an allegorical narrative about peace. The arrangement of figures around the perimeter infers harmony, but this stability is challenged by the ambiguity of the title, questioning the nature of 'peace'. Consider how Poggini's choice of bronze, with its capacity for intricate detail and enduring presence, underscores the medal’s function as both an object of aesthetic appreciation and a carrier of meaning, inviting us to reflect on the multiple layers of interpretation embedded within its form.