Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere, 1443-1513), Pope 1503 [obverse] 1667 - 1682

Curator: Looking at this medal cast in bronze, dating from around 1667 to 1682, by Girolamo Paladino... my immediate reaction is one of tactile curiosity. Editor: Oh, absolutely! It begs to be held. I want to feel the weight of it in my palm. There's something so permanent about a portrait rendered in metal. Like capturing a soul, but in such a tangible way. Curator: Right, Girolamo Paladino immortalizes Pope Julius II in profile on its obverse. The detail achieved here, even at this scale, is quite striking. Notice the elaborate detailing in his papal vestments. Editor: It makes you consider the craftsmanship—the molds, the molten metal, the sheer labor involved in replicating these portraits. Who was tasked with this work? What were their lives like? The production is inseparable from the image, really. And look closely at that inscription, Iulius. Ligvr. Papa. Secundus. The whole enterprise whispers power and propagation. Curator: The portrait is interesting – and so serious! I find it incredibly evocative. Medals like this also were meant to be disseminated and I wonder how holding an image, like a seed, helped perpetuate this view of the Pope? Editor: It makes you consider who consumed these objects. What were the social mechanics, the transactions and display rituals tied to this bronze papal image? It reminds you that this wasn’t solely “art” but also political matter. Curator: Perhaps the very point, in the end, and I think that's something to keep with you. Thanks. Editor: Thank you too. It’s been fascinating to examine the cultural forces that have shaped the perception of art, labor, and the image we find displayed on that enduring circle of bronze.