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Sandro Botticelli, 'Portrait of a Man with a Medal', 1474-5

 


The identity of the sitter that meets the eye of the viewer remains much discussed and ultimately unknown. Some think it to be Botticelli himself, but born around 1445 and so in his thirties when the painting was done, others deem it unlikely. It could be his brother Antonio, in keeping with the family likeness. Perhaps it is a goldsmith who designed the medallion presented to us, such as Michelozzo, who interestingly also had a hand in the creation of the Palazzo Medici. Ultimately, most scholars believe it either to be a member of the Medici family or a supporter, due to the medal showing the likeness of Cosimo de' Medici. It would make sense for the man to be one of Cosimo's sons, making this a piece of propaganda to display Medici family lineage. Interweaving portraiture into commissions was a common way of showing the enduring family heritage of prominent Florentine families. In Botticelli's own Adoration of the Magi there are multiple Medici portraits. Moreover the Benozzo Gozzoli frescoes in the Medici chapel attribute the family to the Magi themselves, adding a biblical and kingly quality to their family name. Nevertheless, Sean Connolly refers to the subject as almost 'as mysterious as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa'.

More interesting than the ambiguities of subject are the techniques of making in the work. What seems like a standard portrait when viewed from a reproduction is actually a three-dimensional, tactile masterpiece by the artist. The three-quarter length portrait is essentially two-dimensional as a painting on panel, but a hole has been cut into the panel and a copy of a real portrait medallion inserted into that space. Using the technique of pastiglia, gesso is used to build up the surface to achieve low relief, and is gilded (a thin layer of gold leaf applied over the top) to create a three dimensional mimicry of gilded bronze. It is entirely possible that Botticelli had access to an existing medallion - examples featuring Cosimo on the face of the coin can be found in the V&A collection. The medal is exquisitely detailed, referencing Cosimo as Pater Patriae (father of the fatherland) and shimmering with almost divine intervention. Through this medallion, Botticelli also makes reference to Classical Greek and Roman coins, equating Cosimo to the great rulers of the past, emphasising the Medici right to rule Florence, which would be continually contested for generations. 

By the 1470s Botticelli was known for his capabilities in portraiture. The angle of the face is chosen so that the face of the coin and face of the sitter do not challenge each other, but allow both to be equally respected. Dressed as a Florentine humanist, the tie of the figure's clothing mimics the elegant turn of the head. Perhaps Botticelli was hoping to distract the viewer with the tactile interest of the coin, because there are some places where the portrait falls short. The hands, for instance, pose difficulties for the artist - they unconvincingly are fitted around the medallion and twisted outward awkwardly to present the 'bronze' creation to us. He needed the coin to not only face outwards but to be fitted over the sitter's heart, out of respect for the Medici. Equally, Botticelli has chosen to incorporate a birds-eye view of the landscape, very experimental, and possibly having its origins in Flemish painting. Ultimately this was not something he included in his portraits again. 

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