Object Description
96 ALEXANDER VII Chigi 1659
Obv. Bust to left, wearing cap, mozzetta and stole. Around, ALEXANDER . VII . P . M . PIVS . IVST . OPT . SENEN . PATR . GENTE . CHISIVS . MDCLIX
Rev. Androcles and the lion in the arena. Around, MVNIFICO . PRINCIPI . DOMINICVS . lACOBATIVS; below, on scroll, ET . FERA . MEMOR . BENEFICII .
Bronze, 94 mm.
The medal was commissioned by Domenico lacobacci, a Roman noble, to commemorate the Pope's refusal to have a statue of himself erected on the capitol. Dworschak states that it was designed by Bernini and executed by Travani, an attribution supported by Pollard. De Caro Balbi suggests that the medal was designed by Gianfrancesco Romanelli.
Bibl.: Houston, no. 255; Brescia 2, p. 20, no. 260; Venuti, p. 264, no. 20; Bonnani, pp. 697-99, no. 40 Tresor Papes, pl. 30, 2; Dworschak, pp. 27-41 ; Pollard, Udine, pp. 148- 49, fig. 13; De Caro Balbi, pp. 9-11.
