Portrait of the Ancient Roman Empress Faustina

By Filarete, Maker of the Bronze Doors on St. Peter's Cathedral

Antonio di Pietro Averlino, called Filarete (1400-1469). Portrait Medal of the Empress Faustina.

110.7 x 111.4 mm. 442 grams. Armand I, 100, 3; Kress 204; Pollard 229. Capped portrait to right, DIVA AVGVSTA DIVAE FAVSTINA / Antoninus Pius and Faustina facing and holding hands, DIVA FAVSTIN ADIV SANTONINVS. Medal turn. Early lead cast with rich deep gray patina and some earthen highlights. A high quality production with crisp design elements and delicate, shallow curlicue texturing added to the obverse fields. Pierced right at 12 o'clock, slightly right of the position on the Kress medal in the National Gallery of Art. Some light rim bruises and handling, old scratch between IV of DIVA at lower left obverse. Described as "a very fine original cast" in the 2010 Michael Hall sale. While unsigned, this piece has been confidently attributed to the sculptor Filarete, best known for the bronze doors on St. Peter's Cathedral. The Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art uses the Filarete attribution.

From the Santini Collection of Renaissance Medals. Earlier from the Michael Hall Collection; Baldwin's Auctions Ltd.'s Sale 64, May 2010, lot 71; the Jonathan H. Kagan Collection of Renaissance Medals.

Estimate: $2000.00 - $3000.00