Giovanni Emo, Podesta of Verona 1527 [obverse] 1527

Editor: So, here we have a bronze medal crafted in 1527 by Giovanni Maria Pomedelli, titled "Giovanni Emo, Podesta of Verona 1527." The man looks pretty stern, a definite man of importance. The detail is astounding. What strikes you most about this portrait medal? Curator: You know, it makes me think about touch, about how power and identity were rendered in the Renaissance, quite literally, through something you could hold. This isn’t just a pretty picture; it’s almost like a talisman, a way to possess, even embody, Giovanni Emo’s authority. I wonder, did he commission it himself, do you think? Or perhaps someone eager to curry favor? Editor: That's fascinating to think about. The 'touch' of power... Hmm, I hadn't considered the political implications so directly. How does the material contribute to this effect, you think? Bronze seems so…solid. Curator: Precisely! Bronze has this weight, this permanence, that speaks to enduring legacy. Think of Roman emperors cast in bronze! And the Renaissance loved reviving classical motifs. There’s also this sense of the hand – you can almost feel the artist carefully sculpting the details of his face, each strand of his beard. What kind of character does this man seem to you? Does this detailed, somewhat severe style align with it? Editor: Well, his gaze does seem fixed, unyielding. And the inscription…all very serious! It’s a statement, I guess, not just a likeness. The small format seems somehow contradictory; powerful, yet contained. Curator: Exactly! Power distilled, portable, almost pocket-sized. This chat has certainly made me look at these little Renaissance objects with a new set of eyes! What about you? Editor: Definitely. I’ll never look at a portrait medal the same way again! It is not a static, but dynamic.