Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 8004 - An Important Collection of Renaissance Medals & Plaquettes
Lot: 136

Artist unknown (c.1542) Pietro Aretino, bronze medal, 58.7mm., a later cast, medium brown patina Obverse: bare-headed:bust of Aretino in profile to left, with long beard, wearing a surcoat with fur collar over an open neck shirt, and a simple chain, DIVVS PETRVS ARETINVS Reverse: Truth, naked, seated on a rock, one foot on a Satyr (Hatred) who kneels before her, is crowned with laurel by winged Victory while looking up at Zeus holding a thunderbolt amid clouds, VERITAS ODIVM PARIT Pietro Bacci, called Aretino (1492-1556), born in Arezzo in Tuscany is given the title DIVVS, ´divine´, on this medal, but on other medals he is called ´Flagellum Principum´, the ´scourge of princes´. Both titles were first given to Aretino by Ariosto in the third (1532) edition of Orlando Furioso, ´...ecco il flagello de´ Principi, il Divin Pietro Aretino´. He was a renaissance poet, publicist, satirist, and pornographer. He achieved fame with his large number of poems, plays, letters and other writings, particularly his Ragionamenti and Sonetti Lussuriosi which, illustrated with explicit prints by Marcantonio Raimondi, a pupil of Raphael, were extremely popular. He settled in Venice in 1527, accepted lavish gifts from powerful rulers who feared his venomous pen, and befriended artists, including Titian, and Leone Leoni, who had settled there temporarily with his wife Diamanta. Once these few facts about Aretino are known, the reverse of this medal is easily explained. Truth rests her foot on a satyr (a punning reference to satire). Through her instrument, satire, she can strike down princes as easily as Jupiter can strike with his thunderbolt. The motto translates as ´Truth creates hatred´. References Armand II, 153, 11 and III, 72, Q; Attwood 407; Bargello III, 760; Kress 484a; S.K.Scher ´Veritas Odium Parit´, comments on a medal of Pietro Aretino´, The Medal no.14 (1985) pp.4-11 Estimate £ 200-300

Sold for
£400