Antonio Da Mula, c. 1460-after 1539, Duke of Candia 1536 [obverse] 1538

Editor: Here we have "Antonio Da Mula, Duke of Candia, Obverse" from 1538. It's rendered in metal relief. I'm immediately struck by the fine detail; it looks quite sturdy and precious, doesn't it? What strikes you about the production of such an object? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the social context for its production, and who made this metal object. What workshops and networks would Da Mula, Duke of Candia, have needed to use to mint this coin? The metal is tooled with text that describes the power he wielded. Consider how it was made, the labor, and materials involved. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't thought about it like that. I was focusing more on it as an object of... commemoration, I suppose? Something that asserts his legacy. Curator: But it's through material analysis we can better understand such issues. Who *could* produce these? Access to materials, technical knowledge, workshop space, labor relations… The Duke, through the power of commission, is intimately connected to all those elements in 16th century Candia. And then think about who would consume them, who held them. Editor: So the coin, it's not just a representation of power, but evidence of the mechanisms *through which* power was maintained. That reframes the way I see similar portrait objects. Curator: Precisely. Understanding the conditions of production provides a new avenue for considering the Duke of Candia and the society around him. Editor: That’s a totally different lens, and it gives me so much to think about with this piece. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Now you can bring that material analysis to other works.