This early medal depicts Francesco II Gonzaga (1466–1519), the fourth Marquess of Mantua. A personification of Prudence holding a muzzle (a Gonzaga family device) is on the reverse, perhaps presenting the teenage Francesco with an important lesson: govern with the virtues of restraint and self-control. As the popularity of medals spread into Northern Italy during the latter half of the fifteenth century, schools of medalists formed in major urban centers where they could find steady employment working for noble families. The Gonzaga in Mantua, Melioli’s patrons, ranked among the most distinguished such houses.
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.
