Object Description
7 FRANCESCO II GONZAGA (1466-1519), later, fourth Marquess of Mantua 1484
Obv. Bust to right, in cap and decorated breastplate. Around, D . FRANCISCVS . GON . D . FRED . III . M . MANTVAE . F . SPES . PVB . SALVSQ . P . REDIVI . (English translation: "Divus Francesco Gonzaga son of Divus Frederico the third marquess of Mantua, the recover of hope and the well-being of the city" - as per Pollard, Renaissance Medals, Volume One, 126.)
Rev. Health, standing between water and fire, holds a staff and a medicine basket inscribed: CAVTIVS (English translation: "More carefully"). Around, ADOLESCENTIAE AVGVSTAE (English translation: "To the Young Prince"); on listel, MELIOLVS DICAVIT (English translation: "Melioli dedicated"); English translations - as per Pollard, Renaissance Medals, Volume One, 126.
Bronze, black patina, 71 mm.
D'Arco and, later, Panofsky identify the reverse figure as Health, holding a basket of medicines. Thus the medal celebrates Francesco's recovery from a serious illness in 1484.
Bibl.: Corpus, no. 196 (dates medal 1481, identifies rev. figure as Pandora); Arm. i, p. 80,4; Rosati, no. 40; Kress, no. 69; Brescia i, p. 17, no. 117; Magnaguti-Mant, no. 19; J. de Foville, Gazette des Beaux-Arts 39 (1908), p. 392, no. 1; C. D'Arco, Delle Arti e degli Artefici di Mantova i (1857), p. 75 (unsigned) ; D. and E. Panofsky, Pandora's Box, London 1956, pp. 22-23, no. 20.