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Auction: 8004 - An Important Collection of Renaissance Medals & Plaquettes
Lot: 138

Jacopo Nizzola da Trezzo (c.1514-1589) Gianello della Torre, bronze medal, 81mm., an extremely fine contemporary cast, warm red-brown patina, pierced at 12 o´clock, trace of black ink number in reverse exergue Obverse: bare-headed bust in profile to the right, with short thick beard, wearing doublet and coat, IANELLVS TVRRIAN CREMON HOROLOG ARCHITECT Reverse: The Fountain of the Sciences, a fountain in the form of a draped female figure standing holding a large bowl from which water gushes, is surrounded by seven men and a child who collect or drink the water, VIR - TVS above, NVNQ DEFICIT in exergue Gianello della Torre (1500-1585), as the inscription here tells us, came from Cremona. He was a watchmaker and engineer. He made a famous clock for Charles V, and his most celebrated feat of engineering was the raising of the level of the Tagus River in 1568. References Armand I, 170, 38; Attwood 91; Bargello III, 721; Currency of Fame 55; Gaetani i, pl. XLIX, 1; Hill-Pollard p.97, pl. 18, 8; Humphris 41; Kress 441a; Rizzini 242 Estimate £ 3,000-5,000

Sold for
£6,000