Filippo Maria Visconti, 1392-1447, Duke of Milan 1412 [obverse] c. 1441

This is Pisanello’s bronze portrait medal of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, made around 1441. Created during the Italian Renaissance, it reflects the period's fascination with classical antiquity and individual portraiture. Visconti, who ruled Milan with cunning and an iron fist, appears in profile, his features sharp and unforgiving. His distinctive hat marks him as a figure of authority, yet his gaze is cast downwards, perhaps hinting at the isolation and paranoia that defined his reign. These medals were not just emblems of power but objects of personal diplomacy and exchange. They offer intimate glimpses into the lives and identities of their subjects and were circulated among elites to solidify political and cultural alliances. The inscription encircling Visconti's image proclaims his titles and territories, each word carefully chosen to amplify his status. Pisanello’s medal captures the complexities of Visconti’s identity, as both a ruler and a man, shaped by the political and social forces of his time.