Lot 195: [ ITALIAN MEDALS ]

PIETRO PAOLO GALEOTTI (c. 1520-1584) Cosimo I de' Medici (1519-1574), Duke of Florence from 1537, bronze medal, c. 1567, COSMVS MED FLOREN ET SENAR DVX II, cuirassed and draped bust right, rev., RES MILITARIS CONSTITVTA, a soldier in ancient armour presents a standard to another who stands between columns at the top of a flight of stairs; other soldiers with standards on either side, 43mm (Attwood 864; Armand II, 198, 9 and III, 110, P; Bargello 426), a very fine contemporary striking with dark patina

Provenance: Numismatica Genevensis 5, 2-3 December 2008, lot 760. As Attwood relates, this forms part of a series of thirteen medals struck to celebrate Cosimo's achievements and commemorates his organization of the Tuscan militia. The reverse was devised by Vincenzo Borghini in 1565 and the series was praised by Vasari - 'all twelve (sic) reverses are quite beautiful and executed with much grace and care, as is the head of the duke, which is of great beauty'.