Pius II was a noted humanist and politician whose reign was marked by unsuccessful attempts to organize a crusade against the Ottoman Turks, who were then perceived as a threat to Christian Europe. The reverse portrays a pelican feeding its young with its own blood, a traditional symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, a design directly copied from a medal by Pisanello depicting the early Renaissance humanist Vittorina da Feltre.
Object Description
16 PIUS II Piccolomini, Pope 1458-64
Obv. Bust to left. Around, ENAEAS PIVS SENENSIS PAPA SECVNDVS .
Rev. Pelican in her piety. Around, ALESVTHECCORDISPAVI . DESANGVINENATOS
Bronze, 53 mm.
Generally dated 1460-64. Patrigiani reproduces an ex- ample with the date 1458 incised in the field. The re- verse of the pelican in her piety is copied from the medal of Vittorino da Feltre by Pisanello, and denotes Charity.
Bibl.: Corpus, no. 749; Arm. i, p. 50, 8; Rosati, no. 82; Habich, pl. 33, 3; Naples, p. 24; Supino, no. 60; Brescia 2, p. 2, no. 12; Tresor ltal. i, pl. 22, 3-4; A. Patrigiani, "La data di una rara medaglia di Papa Pio II," Numismatica (1948), p. 39; Venuti, p. 21, no. 5; Martinori, fasc. iii, p. 54; Bonnani, p. 68, no. 4.
