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

Editor: This is Antonio Da Mula, Duke of Candia, captured in bronze in 1538. It feels almost industrial, you know, the way the details are pressed into the metal. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: For me, it's all about the material itself and what it represents in this context. Bronze wasn't just a neutral substance; it carried associations with power and permanence. Think about the process involved—the mold-making, the casting, the finishing. Editor: So, the choice of bronze isn't just aesthetic? Curator: Absolutely not. The artist is making a deliberate statement. This medal commemorates Da Mula's position as Duke, and the bronze asserts his authority. It also subtly hints at Venice's trading power. Editor: Interesting. How so? Curator: Bronze production in Renaissance Venice was deeply tied to its vast trade networks. Copper and tin, the components of bronze, came from different regions and had to be skillfully combined. The medal, then, is not only a portrait but a miniature monument to Venetian enterprise. What does it tell us about consumption during the Italian Renaissance? Editor: So, the act of making this object reinforces Da Mula's authority, because the raw material itself tells a story about power and resources... something the every-day viewer might easily overlook today. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on materiality and production, we can reveal hidden layers of meaning. Editor: This has changed how I see such portraits and their function! Curator: And for me it shows a renewed way to appreciate Italian Renassiance bronzes, like this one.