{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O313292"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313292/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HL7293/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HL7293/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HL7293","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL7294","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL7297","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL7298","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O313292/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O313292","accessionNumber":"A.196-1910","objectType":"Medal","titles":[{"title":"Giovanni II Bentivoglio","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This medal depcits the Governor of Bologna, Giovanni II Betivoglio (1443-1509). He was Governor of Bologna from 1462-1506.\r\nThe present medal reflects the period of Bentivoglio's greatest authority. It was variously dated, but was always thought to be the last of Sperandio's three medals of him. The use of the two earlier and important and prominent rulers on the reverse of the medal, has quite some political weight. Giovanni Bentivoglio was signalling his right to absolute rule. The baton he holds is also a baton of rule.\r\nThe medal is executed by Sperandio of Mantua.\r\nSperandio,  a prolific medallist if inferior imitator of Pisanello, was born in Mantua but worked mainly in Ferrara. From 1478 to ca. 1490, however, he worked at  Bologna. He got his training from his father. Then he grew up in Ferrara, where also Pisanello had made a few medals. It is not clear when he started his medallic work, but no work could be attributed to him before 1460. It seems that Sperandio was working for Borso d’Este from the early 1460s on a continuous basis. His activities were quite varied and there is evidence that he was also working as a godsmith and painter. During a short stay in Faenza he was appointed by the Manfredi family to work in bronze, marble, terracotta and lead, as well as works in gold, drawings and paintings. Lodovico Gonzaga, bishop of Mantua, recommended him to his brother Gianfrancesco as a cannon founder and architect and that is how Sperandio spent his last years of working in Venice.","physicalDescription":"Medal depicts on the obverse the bust to the right of Bentivoglio, in armour, and wearing a round cap turned up at the bottom. Inscription. On the reverse Bentivoglio in armour, wearing a cap, riding to the left. He carries a marshall's baton. Behind on the right an armoured horseman bearing lance. Inscription.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sperandio","id":"A22535"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[{"text":"Coins & Medals","id":"THES48974"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2015HL7293","2015HL7294","2015HL7297","2015HL7298"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"020","id":"THES395717"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Medal","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1482","earliest":"1477-01-01","latest":"1486-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"9.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'IO . BENT . II . HANIB . FILIVS . EQVES . AC . COMES . PATRIÆ . PRINCEPS . AC . LIBERTATIS . COLVMEN'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"obverse"},{"content":"'OPVS SPERANDEI'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"reverse"}],"objectHistory":"From the Salting bequest.\r\nThe reverse is a reworking of Pisanello's medals of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga and Filippo Maria Visconti, which was sometimes judged as a lack of Sperandio's originality.\n\nHistorical significance: The present medal reflects the period of Bentivoglio's greatest authority. It was variously dated, but was always thought to be the last of Sperandio's three medals of him. The use of the two earlier and important and prominent rulers on the reverse of the medal, has quite some political weight. Giovanni Bentivoglio was signalling his right to absolute rule. The baton he holds is also a baton of rule.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Medal, bronze, bust of Giovanni II Bentivoglio, by Sperandio, Italy, ca. 1482","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Scher, Stephen K, <i>The Currency of fame: portrait medals of the Renaissance</i>, New York, National Gallery of Art (U.S.), Frick Collection., 1994","id":"AUTH353437"},"details":"pp.96-97","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: <u>List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture)</u>. London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 23"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Bentivoglio, Giovanni II","id":"N14974"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"armour","id":"AAT36745"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.196-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"196","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-13","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}