Ritratti di bronzo. Il Medagliere Orsini dei Musei Capitolini di Roma

Abstract

In the last fifteen years, the body of publications, conferences and research projects shedding light on the political role and artistic patronage of the Orsini family has considerably increased. By offering the first catalogue of the Medagliere Orsini, now preserved at the Musei Capitolini in Rome, this lavishly-illustrated volume enriches our knowledge of this prestigious noble clan from an original perspective. The first part of the book features three essays, each one complemented by an appendix of selected archival documents. The first essay reconstructs the complex history of the Orsini collection of ancient coins and modern medals between the death of the last Duke of Bracciano, Flavio Orsini (1620–1698), and the acquisition of what was left of the collection by the Municipio di Roma in 1902. The second essay focuses on the collecting interests of some members of the Orsini family. Here, the limited availability of archival sources sometimes results in a fragmented narrative, particularly in the case of Virginio II Orsini (1572–1515). Unlike his father, Paolo Giordano I (1541–1585), and his son, Paolo Giordano II (1591–1656), Virginio II seems to have been immune to the fascination of collecting and the commissioning of medals, and only one seal previously in his possession is now included in the Medagliere Orsini. The third essay, which is based on a large corpus of unpublished documents, offers interesting insights on Paolo Giordano II’s patronage and on the celebrative medals commissioned by Pope Benedict XIII Orsini (1649–1730). In particular, the author provides new evidence on Paolo Giordano II’s relationship with artists such as Giovanni Campagna and Gaspare Mola. Amendola’s research confirms that the Duke of Bracciano was not only an enthusiastic patron of the arts, but also a dilettante, who drew, painted, and modelled. Paolo Giordano II’s interest in self-portraiture is demonstrated by his gift of three self-portraits – one made with the brush, one with the hands, and another with the toes – to Cardinal Mazarin in 1646: see the present author’s article in Studiolo no. 10 (2013). However, Amendola’s suggestion that the duke also designed his own portrait on the obverse of cat. nos 21 and 22, and the portrait of his wife, Isabella Appiani, on the obverse of cat. no. 23, is intriguing but requires additional evidence. Bartholomeus Breenbergh’s drawing representing Paolo Giordano II bathing in the Lake Bracciano, described as in an unknown location, is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (rp-t-1967–73).