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A lead uniface (copy?) medal of Michaelangelo on the occasion of his 88th birthday, by Leone Lioni.: CM.219-1909

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Current Location: Gallery 6 (Upper Marlay)

Titles

A lead uniface (copy?) medal of Michaelangelo on the occasion of his 88th birthday, by Leone Lioni.

Maker(s)

Maker: Leone Leoni (c.1509-1590)

Entities

Categories

Description

A probable copy of a medal that was modelled in Rome in 1560 and cast Milan. Leoni sent Michaelangelo two silver and two bronze copies. He cleaned and boxed one specially, writing ‘keep it and look after it for love of me’. Apparently Michelangelo was pleased with the medal and in gratitude he gave him a wax model of Hercules and Antaeus, now lost. The medal was widely distributed, and the portrait frequently copied. The inscription, however, is wrong: Michelangelo was then 85 not 88.

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 57 mm
Weight: 30.17 g

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1909) by Rosenheim FSA, Max

Dating

Production date: circa AD 1561

Materials used in production

Lead

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.219-1909
Primary reference Number: 227225

Audit data

Created: Friday 14 June 2019 Updated: Wednesday 18 June 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "A lead uniface (copy?) medal of Michaelangelo on the occasion of his 88th birthday, by Leone Lioni." Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/227225 Accessed: 2025-12-05 15:49:36

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/227225 |title=A lead uniface (copy?) medal of Michaelangelo on the occasion of his 88th birthday, by Leone Lioni. |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 15:49:36|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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