Advanced Search 
View: Obverse
Self-portrait
Giovanni di Pasqnalino Boldù (Italian (Venice), active 1454–1475, died before 1477)
Italian (Venice)
Renaissance
about 1458
Object Place: Venice, Italy
Medium/Technique
Metal; cast bronze (85% copper and 8% tin with 3.7% lead and 2.6% zinc)
Dimensions
Diameter and weight: 85 mm (3 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Theodora Wilbour Fund in memory of Zoë Wilbour
Accession Number57.603
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsNumismatics – Medals
Catalogue Raisonné
Hill 421.
Kress 142.
DescriptionCircular medal of Giovanni di Pasqnalino Boldù (self-portrait). Pierced at the top and beaded rim on both sides.
Obverse: Profile bust of Boldù as youth looking to proper right, wearing laureate crown; inscribed at edge in Greek ["Ioannis Boldù, painter of Venice"]. Pit below mouth.
Reverse: Nude youth seated on rock at proper right hands over face looking to center and winged putto (genius of Death) at proper left seated on ground and leaning against skull at center, holding a flame; inscribed at edge "·OPVS·IONS·BOLDV·PICTORIS·VENETVS·XOSRAFI·" and "·M·CCCC·LVIII·".
Obverse: Profile bust of Boldù as youth looking to proper right, wearing laureate crown; inscribed at edge in Greek ["Ioannis Boldù, painter of Venice"]. Pit below mouth.
Reverse: Nude youth seated on rock at proper right hands over face looking to center and winged putto (genius of Death) at proper left seated on ground and leaning against skull at center, holding a flame; inscribed at edge "·OPVS·IONS·BOLDV·PICTORIS·VENETVS·XOSRAFI·" and "·M·CCCC·LVIII·".
InscriptionsObverse: Inscribed at edge in Greek ["Ioannis Boldù, painter of Venice"].
Reverse: Inscribed at edge "·OPVS·IONS·BOLDV·PICTORIS·VENETVS·XOSRAFI·" and "·M·CCCC·LVIII·".
Reverse: Inscribed at edge "·OPVS·IONS·BOLDV·PICTORIS·VENETVS·XOSRAFI·" and "·M·CCCC·LVIII·".
Provenance1957, Otto Wertheimer, Galerie Les Tourettes, Basel, to the MFA for $1,000. (Accession Date: September 12, 1957)