Francesco I Sforza, 1401-1466, 4th Duke of Milan 1450 [obverse] c. 1441

This bronze medal, created by the Italian Renaissance artist Pisanello around 1441, depicts Francesco I Sforza, the 4th Duke of Milan. The medal, which is an example of Renaissance portraiture, shows Sforza in profile, wearing a cap and chain mail. Pisanello's work was innovative for its time, as he was one of the first artists to create portrait medals, which became a popular art form throughout the Renaissance. The inscription around the edge of the medal identifies Sforza as "Duke of Milan, Count of Cremona, and Lord of the Viscontis". This medal is a testament to the artistic excellence of the early Renaissance and the importance of portraiture as a way of commemorating historical figures.