Portrait medal of Giovanni Giovano Pontano 1475 - 1500

This portrait medal of Giovanni Giovano Pontano was made in the late 15th century by Adriano Fiorentino, using bronze. The process behind this medal would have started with a sketch, which was then translated into a three-dimensional model in wax or clay. This was then used to create a mold, into which molten bronze was poured. Once cooled, the resulting form would have been chased with tools to sharpen the details, and then polished. In Renaissance Italy, this was a highly developed craft, linked to traditions of goldsmithing and sculpture. But such medals also served an important social function. They were a means of circulating likenesses of important people, of declaring status through the possession of a well-made object. The cost and labor involved in the medal’s production underscore Pontano’s position within the elite class. Examining this medal through the lens of material and making allows us to appreciate how it blurs the lines between art, craft, and social life.