Constancy with Turkish Captives [reverse] 1481

Andrea Guacialoti made this bronze medal, entitled 'Constancy with Turkish Captives', in fifteenth-century Italy. Its size and weight suggest it would have been held and passed around, a token of accomplishment. The material itself – bronze – implies high value, but also reproducibility. Cast from a mold, likely made of clay or wax, these medals could be made in relatively large numbers, a far cry from the unique status of a painting or sculpture. Note the artist's signature, lightly scratched into the surface, as well as inscriptions pressed into the mold, bordering the image. These were skilled artisanal processes, requiring a blend of technical ability and eye for design. The imagery of the medal is overtly political, showing a female figure standing over captives, and ships at sea. This is not simply a work of art, but a statement of power – an assertion of dominance, rendered permanent through the intimate medium of bronze.