Lot 112: Francesco Francia (c.1450-1517) Giovanni II Bentivoglio, bronze medal, 28.5mm., a good contemporary cast, brown patina...

Francesco Francia (c.1450-1517)
Giovanni II Bentivoglio, bronze medal, 28.5mm., a good contemporary cast, brown patina

Obverse: bust of Bentivoglio in profile to the right, his hair long, wearing cap with the back turned up, doublet and coat with open collar, ·IOANNES ·BENTIVO - LVS - II· BONONIENSIS

Reverse: legend in six lines, ·MA / XIMILIANI· / IMPERATORIS / ·MVNVS· / MCCCCLXXXX / IIII·

Giovanni II Bentivoglio (1443-1509) was Lord of Bologna 1462-1506. The legend on the reverse refers to the Manus or right of coinage granted to Bentivoglio by a privilegium of the Emperor Maximilian dated 19 October 1494.
In S. Giacomo Maggiore, Bologna, a marble relief portrait of Bentivoglio in profile to left exactly resembles the portrait here. It is signed Antonivs Bal and dated 1497. It is probable that the relief portrait was copied from the medal, or from coins produced at the mint at Bologna which also have this portrait.

References
Armand I, 104, 1; Hill 1923, 48, fig. 24; Hill 606; Hill-Pollard p. 62, pl. 11, 6; Kress 184; Middeldorf-Stiebral XII