CARADOSSO, CRISTOFANO (Ital.). Goldsmith, Medallist, Coin-, and Gem-engraver. He was born at Mondonico, in the province of Como, circa 1445, and died at the beginning of 1527. He usually styled himself " Caradosso del Mundo". This celebrated artist flourished at Milan under Ludovico ll Moro, and after the fall of this prince, worked at Rome under the popes Julius II., Leo X., and Clement VII. Benvenuto Cellini praises him in very high terms as one of the greatest artists of his time and extols his kindness and manly virtues. Some of the productions of this artist are of great beauty; he excelled in the cutting of dies. He was at first Goldsmith to the Duke of Milan, and entrusted with the acquisition of antiques, and especially engraved gems. We possess various works of sculpture and plaques by Caradosso, as well as many coins, which date from Francesco Sforza, circa 1466, and comprise the following reigns until the absorption of Milan by Louis XII. He also executed some struck medals of Ludovico II Moro and large medallions, cast, of Francesco, and Ludovico Sforza II Moro. The first of these, observes Von Fabriczy, which depicts the entry into Milan in 1450 of the Duke Francesco, is not much earlier than the second which commemorates Ludovico Moro's entry into Genua, 1488 : "Schon hier — wie auch in seinen späteren römischen Arbeiten verleugnet sich nicht der Goldschmied : im Gegensatz zu der breiten Behandlung der frühesten grossen Meister der Medaille arbeitet Caradosso die seinigen bis ins Kleinste überaus sorgfältig aus. " On Ludovico Sforza's capture by the French in 1499, Caradosso joined at Rome his friend and colleague Bramante, who had been there for some time. Thanks to Bramante's recommendations and Cardinal Ascanio Sforza's patronage, the artist found at the pontifical court, under Julius II. and his next successors, abundant employment until his death, as is proved by the numerous coins of Julius II. and Leo X. which were struck from his dies. He also executed medals : Bramante (Donato di Angelo, of Urbino), architect, 1444-1514 (2 types); — Pope Julius II., 1503-1513 R. The Basilica of St. Peter (2 or 3 var.); copies of these in gold and silver were deposited in the foundations of the Cathedral at the time when the Pope laid the first stone of that building, 18th of April, 1506 ; — Same Pontiff R. Shepherd seated under a tree; — Do R. TEMPLVM VIRG.LAVRETI.MDVIII; - Cardinal Ascanio Sforza (the attribution of this medal is still left open to discussion); — Julius II., R. Conversion of Saul of Tarsus (struck) (illustrated) ? ; — Cardinal Scaramuccia Trivulzio (2 var.). " Diese römischen Stücke, " remarks v. Fabriczy, "sind unstreitig Caradosso's Meisterwerke : sie geben die Charaktere trotz der minutiösen Modellierung und Durchciselierung, worinnen sie sich fast schon der Prägemedaille nähern, in echt monumentaler Auffassung, — man vergleiche sie nur daraufhin mit den späteren Cinquecento Denkmünzen, um sich ihrer künstlerischen Ueberlegenheit bewusst zu werden"; — Small medal of Giangiacomo Trivulzio on the capture of Ludovico Moro, obv. The General on horseback R. Female seated to r. holding lion ; — Julius II. R. CIVITA VECCHIA, &c. Von Fabriczy omits in his nomenclature a good many of the coins and medals formerly attributed to Caradosso by Armand and other writers. The following coins are attributed to Caradosso : Mantua. Federigo II., AR. obv. Bust of the Prince. R. David seated (similar to the medal of that ruler by the same artist) ; — Milan. Francesco I. Sforza (1450-1466). Ducato d'oro (Zecchino) (13 var.); — AR. Medal with his bust and on R. that of Gian Galeazzo Visconti; — Lira (6 var.), and subsidiary coinage. Galeazzo Maria Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti. AR. Grosso, Soldo, &c. Galeazzo Maria Sforza (1466-1476). 10 Ducati; — Doppia (3 var.); — Ducato (6 var.); — AR. Medal (4 var.); — Testone (6 var.); — Mezzo Testone (4 var.); — Grosso, &c. Bona di Savoia and Giangaleazzo Maria Sforza (1476-1481). Pattern Testone; — Doppia (2 var.); — AR. Medal (2 var.); — Testone (4 var.); Giangaleazzo Maria Sforza (1481).. Medal, obv. Bust to r. R. PAPIE. ANGLE, &c. Arms; — Doppio Testone (4 var.). — AR. Medal. Giangaleazzo Maria and Ludovico Maria Sforza (1481-1494). Doppia (2 var.); — Zecchino; — AR. Medal; — Testone (7 var.); — Grosso (6 var.), &c. — Ludovico —Maria Sforza, Il Moro (1494-1 500). Doppio Testone (4 var.); AR. Medal (2 var.); — Testone (2 var.), &c. — AR. Pattern Testone. Ludovico Maria Sforza and Beatrice d'Este (1496). AE. Pattern Testone, obv. Bust of the Duke to r. R. Bust of the Duchess to 1. Most, if not all these coins, are said to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Rome. Testoni and subsidiary coinage of Julius II., Leo X., &c. According to Friedländer, Caradosso produced all the coins of the Sforzas who reigned at Milan from Francesco Sforza to Ludovico II Moro, but Armand shows it is scarcely possible that the artist worked at the Milanese Mint before Giangaleazzo-Maria Sforza; consequently, his series of coins would extend from 1476 to 1499. How long he remained in office after the fall of the ducal house and Louis XII. of France's occupation of the city, cannot be established with certainty. In the Rosenheim collection is a monetary weight of Giangaleazzo Sforza, obv. Bust of the Duke R. St. Ambrosius, which is evidently due to Caradosso. A specimen is illustrated in Dr Ambrosoli, Numismatica, p. 219. There is a series of medals, similar to those of Francesco Storza with R. CLEMENTIA.ET.ARMIS. and Ludovico Moro with R. OPTIMO. CONSCILIO. SINE. ARMIS.RESTITVTA, which were commissioned by Ludovico to commemorate his predecessors, and which undoubtedly are the work of Caradosso. These pieces are all 41 mill, in diameter, and struck in low relief. F. and E. Gnecchi have described them as coins in Le Monete di Milano, but they differ from these in size and appearance, and the legends are in fine large Roman type instead of the Gothic characters which were used on the coins. The series comprises eleven personages : Giangaleazzo Visconti, 1st Duke of Milan (1395-1402), Francesco Sforza, 4th Duke (1450-1466), Galeazzo-Maria Sforza, 5th Duke (1466-1476), Bona di Savoia, consort of Galeazzo-Maria Sforza, Giangaleazzo Maria Sforza, 6th Duke (1476-1494), Ludovico Maria Sforza, 7th Duke (1494-1500), and Louis XII., King of France, and Duke of Milan (1500-1512). The portraits are borrowed from the coins. It is not unlikely that Caradosso executed the Milanese coins of Louis XII., and also a medal of that King; but as he left Milan in 1505, the medals of Maximiliano Sforza (1512-1515), Francis I. of France( 1515- 1522), and Francesco II. Sforza (1522-1535), although of the same style, are not likely to have been produced by him. Only the following may therefore be attributed to the artist with any certainty : Obv. Bust of Giangaleazzo Visconti. R. Arms (Gnecchi, pl. VIII, n° 1) ; —AR. Obv. Bust as last. R. Bust of Francesco Sforza (Gn. XII, 1;) — AR. Obv. Bust of Francesco Sforza. R. Bust of Ludovico Moro (Gn. p. 92, n° 6) ; — AR. Obv. Bust of Galeazzo-Maria Sforza. R. Lion to 1., crouching amidst flames (Gn. XII, 10) ; — AR. Obv. Similar. R. Arms of Milan (Gn. XIII, 5); — AR. Obv. Similar. R. Bust of Bona di Savoia (Gn. xv, 1); — Obv Bust of Giangaleazzo, young. R. Arms (Gn. xv, 6) ; — AR. Obv. Bust of same Duke, older. R. Bust of Ludovico Moro (Gn, XVI, 2) ;— AR. Obv. Bust as on R. of last. R. Arms (Gn. XVII, 3) ; — AR. Obv. Bust, similar. R. Bust of Louis XII. ; — AR. Obv. Bust of Louis XII. R. Arms of France and Milan (Gn. XVIII, 5). The following plaques are also by Caradosso : Rape of Ganymede ; — Engagement between Centaurs and Lapithae; — Bacchante scourging Silenus ;— Death of Laocoön and his children ; — Naval scene; — Strength, Science and Justice ; — The Conqueror, &c. As a Gem-engraver, Caradosso and his assistant Furnius of Bologna are compared by Pomponius Gauricus, a writer of the beginning of the sixteenth century, to Pyrgoteles and Dioscorides. Their works not being signed, it is impossible to assign them. In 1500, Caradosso engraved a diamond which he offered to Pope Julius II. Caradosso executed some magnificent gold and silver plate for the Popes; thus an inkstand adorned with bas-reliefs representing a Fight between Centaurs and Lapithae, the Rape of Ganymede, and the Works of Hercules. As a sculptor, his Descent from the Cross in coloured and gilt stucco at the San Satiro Church at Milan, and a statue of Cupid are among his best works. "In the works of Caradosso the medallic art of the fifteenth century reaches its full development, and rises, perhaps, to its highest point". (Keary, B. M. Guide, &c, Int. XV.) Bibliography. — Armand, op. cit. — Cicognara, Sloria della Scultura. — Leoni, De Nobilitate Rerum. — E. Müntz, L'atelier monétaire de Rome, 1884. — Friedländer, Die italienischen Schaumünzen des fünfzehnten Jahrhunderts, 1880-1883. — C. King, op. cit. — Babelon, op. cit. — F. and E. Gnecchi, Le Monete di Milano, 1884. — Bolzenthal, op. cit. — Bertolotti, Artisti veneti in Roma. — Solone Ambrosoli, Gazetta Numismatica, 1884. — De Champeaux, Grande Encyclopédie. — Piot, Cabinet de l'Amateur, 1861. — Molinier, Les Bronzes de la Renaissance (les Plaquettes). — Dr Jul. Cahn, op. cit. — I. B. Supino, Il Medagliere Mediceo, Firenze, 1899. — Gazette des Beaux-Arts, t. XXVII. — Fabriczy, oft. cit. 1. " With regard to the stamped medal of Julius II, which has variously been attributed to Francia and Caradosso, von Fabriczy adduces minute characteristics of style which are entirely in favour of the latter artist. The sentiment of the portrait, with its robust characterization and frank realism, is, moreover, far removed from Francia's mode of feeling. " (Athenaeum, Oct. 3, 1903.)
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
BUCHHEIM, JOHANN
BUCHHEIM, JOHANN or HANS (Getm.). This Coin-engraver and Medallist, born in 1624, died on the 5th of July, 1683, at the age of 59 years. He is mentioned as early as 1654 for work he executed on behalf of Bishop Karl Ferdinand of Breslau, and he also worked for the city of Breslau, George and Louis of Liegnitz- Brieg, and for John George of Saxony. The medals signed I. B. which were stuck betwen 1653 and 1683 belong to this artist and not to Johann Bensheimer may name the following- pieces : Meda...
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BUCHHEIM, JOHANN or HANS (Getm.). This Coin-engraver and Medallist, born in 1624, died on the 5th of July, 1683, at the age of 59 years. He is mentioned as early as 1654 for work he executed on behalf of Bishop Karl Ferdinand of Breslau, and he also worked for the city of Breslau, George and Louis of Liegnitz- Brieg, and for John George of Saxony. The medals signed I. B. which were stuck betwen 1653 and 1683 belong to this artist and not to Johann Bensheimer may name the following- pieces : Meda...
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BULLINGER, HANS JAKOB
BULLINGER, HANS JAKOB (Swiss). Medallist residing at Zurich, 1650-1724. He engraved the following medals : Completion of the Zurich fortifications, 1678; — Building of the Zurich Townhall, 1698 ; — Decoration for conspicuous services rendered to the state of Zurich (2 var.); — Military reward of the city of Zurich, undated; — School prize, undated (2 var.); — Ehepfenning, or Marriage medal (5 var.). This Engraver filled the post of Master of the Mint at Zurich for a number of years and engraved ...
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BULLINGER, HANS JAKOB (Swiss). Medallist residing at Zurich, 1650-1724. He engraved the following medals : Completion of the Zurich fortifications, 1678; — Building of the Zurich Townhall, 1698 ; — Decoration for conspicuous services rendered to the state of Zurich (2 var.); — Military reward of the city of Zurich, undated; — School prize, undated (2 var.); — Ehepfenning, or Marriage medal (5 var.). This Engraver filled the post of Master of the Mint at Zurich for a number of years and engraved ...
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BUNSEN, JOHANN GEORG
BUNSEN, JOHANN GEORG (Germ.). Third son of Philipp Christian Bunsen; he was born on the 14th June 1766 at Frankfort and died there, 14th January 1833. He joined his father at the Frankfort Mint in 1789, and on the latter's death, was elected Mint-master, 2nd March 1790, with the title of Münzrat (Mint counsellor). The Frankfort currency, between 1790 and 1825, bears his initials, sometimes alone, or in conjunction with those of Johann Heinrich Hille or Johann Georg Hille. The bust on the coin of...
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BUNSEN, JOHANN GEORG (Germ.). Third son of Philipp Christian Bunsen; he was born on the 14th June 1766 at Frankfort and died there, 14th January 1833. He joined his father at the Frankfort Mint in 1789, and on the latter's death, was elected Mint-master, 2nd March 1790, with the title of Münzrat (Mint counsellor). The Frankfort currency, between 1790 and 1825, bears his initials, sometimes alone, or in conjunction with those of Johann Heinrich Hille or Johann Georg Hille. The bust on the coin of...
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BUNSEN, PHILIPP CHRISTIAN
BUNSEN, PHILIPP CHRISTIAN (Germ.). Mint-master at Arolsen ; was called to fill the same office at Frankfort-on-Main, 1764. His initials appear on the latter city's coinage, in conjunction with those of Neumeister and of the two Hilles, fcetween 1764 and 1790. He had free residence at the Mint, a yearly income of 600 gulden, and a commission on the coins struck. In 1789, he took his third son, John George, as assistant. He died on the 10th February, 1790. Bibliography. — Paul Joseph und Eduard Fe...
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BUNSEN, PHILIPP CHRISTIAN (Germ.). Mint-master at Arolsen ; was called to fill the same office at Frankfort-on-Main, 1764. His initials appear on the latter city's coinage, in conjunction with those of Neumeister and of the two Hilles, fcetween 1764 and 1790. He had free residence at the Mint, a yearly income of 600 gulden, and a commission on the coins struck. In 1789, he took his third son, John George, as assistant. He died on the 10th February, 1790. Bibliography. — Paul Joseph und Eduard Fe...
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