Vittoria della Rovere, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (1622-94) 1685

This bronze medal, crafted by Massimiliano Soldani, depicts Vittoria della Rovere as a divine figure, seemingly reborn from the sea. The central motif is a triumphant female figure, likely Venus, emerging from the waves, surrounded by adoring putti. This imagery is steeped in classical antiquity, where Venus's birth from the sea foam symbolized beauty, love, and renewal. Note the echoes of Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus," where a goddess emerges from a shell, an enduring image of rebirth. Here, the symbol is appropriated to emphasize the Grand Duchess Vittoria's purity and grace through association with the goddess of love and beauty. We see this motif echoed through the ages; in ancient Greece, Aphrodite was revered, then transformed by the Romans and Renaissance artists, each era imbuing the symbol with new layers of cultural significance. Such imagery speaks to the enduring human fascination with cycles of death and rebirth, tapping into our deepest collective memories and desires.