Leone Leoni (Menaggio, near Como, about 1509 - 1590, Milan)
Medal of Phillip II of Spain (1527-1598), 1548-1549
Bronze, 8.3 cm (3 1/4 in.)
This bronze medal of Phillip II of Spain is signed by Leone Leoni on the reverse. On the obverse, King Phillip II is shown in profile, facing our left, with curly hair and a beard. He is wearing full regalia with a medal hanging from a chain. Latin circles the bust, and a small raised dotted border circles the medal. The reverse depicts three figures: a woman on the left dressed in robes and with a violin at her side. She is looking to the right and has her hand on the arm of another woman to her right. The second woman points upward and has her left arm around the shoulders of a man. He has a beard, curly hair, is pointing to the first woman with his right hand and holds a club in his left hand. The two figures on the right are looking at each other. This is an outdoor scene with leafy branches in the background. Latin circles the scene, and the same raised dotted border circles the reverse of the medal. Leo. F. is stamped in the lower center of the reverse.
Vatichino
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.