{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O232157"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O232157/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EM6879/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EM6879/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EM6879","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6878","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KN5659","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O232157/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O232157","accessionNumber":"4590-1857","objectType":"Medal","titles":[{"title":"Alessandro de' Medici","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This silver medal or coin depicting the bust Alessandro de'Medici in armour is made by Domenico di Polo (also called Domenico de' Vetri) in 1534, in Italy.\r\n\r\nThe Medici were a powerful and influential Florentine family, with great influence in Florence from the 14th to the 18th century. There were three Popes among the family and many rulers of Florence.\r\n\r\nDespite the many portraits of Alessandro his African heritage is rarely mentioned. He was born in 1510 to an African servant to the Medici household (referred to as Simonetta da Collavechio). Historians are without doubt that he was fathered by the 17 year old Cardinal Giulio de Medici, nephew of Lorenzo the Magnificent and later to become Pope Clement VII.\r\nHe was thus the first black head of state in the modern western world.\r\n\r\nHe is one of the two Medici princes buried in the famous Medici tomb of Michelangelo.","physicalDescription":"Medal depicts on the obverse the bust of Alessandro de' Medici, first Duke of Florence, in armour. On the reverse a seated female figure, quenching a torch and representing Peace.\r\nOn both sides inscriptions.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Polo, Domenico di","id":"A13444"},"association":{"text":"medallist","id":"AAT25337"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver","categories":[{"text":"Coins & Medals","id":"THES48974"},{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2011EM6879","2011EM6878","2018KN5659"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES407478"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Medal Alessandro de Medici/figure of Florence","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1534","earliest":"1534-01-01","latest":"1534-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"3.65","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Medal, silver, depicting Alessandro de'Medici, by Domenico de Polo, 1534, Italy","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1857. <u>In</u>: <u>Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I</u>. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 25"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pollard, Graham. <u>Italian Renaissance Medals in the Museo Nazionale of Borgello, Vol II, 1513-1640. Florence, 1985.</u>. pp. 647-655"}],"production":"formerly attributed to Benvenuto Cellini","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"de' Medici, Alessandro (Duke of Florence)","id":"N4284"},{"text":"Peace","id":"N4349"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"female figure","id":"x43298"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["4590-1857"],"accessionNumberNum":"4590","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1857,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-31","recordCreationDate":"2009-05-13","availableToBook":false}}