GIOVANNI BERNARDI DA CASTEL-BOLOGNESE. Vide BERNARDI. Vol. I, p. 77. Vasari, III, p. 477, says : " Giovanni Bernardi of Castel Bolognese, in the course of three years, which time he passed very honourably in the service of Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara, brought many small works to completion for that prince... ; the first large production which he executed was an intaglio in crystal, wherein he set forth the whole Battle of the Rampart, a most beautiful thing. He afterwards engraved the portrait of the Duke Alfonso in steel, for the purpose of making medals, and on the reverse he repre- sented Our Saviour Christ, led prisoner by the multitude. "Giovanni then repaired to Rome, being induced to do so by the advice of Giovio ; and there the intervention of the Cardinals Ippolito de' Medici and Giovanni Salviati sufficed to procure him an opportunity for taking the portrait of Pope Clement VII. ; where upon he made an intaglio for medals from the same, which was most beautiful, the reverse representing Joseph making himself known to his brethren. For this he was rewarded by His Holiness with a Mazza ; the same being an office which he sold during the pontificate of Pope Paul III., obtaining two hundred scudi as its price. For the same Pope Clement, Giovanni engraved the four Evangelists on four round crystals. They were highly commended, and caused the master to obtain the favour and friendship of many most reverend and distinguished personages ; above all they secured for him the good-will of Salviati and of the Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici, that sole refuge and unfailing protection of artists, whose portrait Giovanni took in steel for medals. He also executed a work in crystal for the Cardinal Ippolito, the subject of which was the wif"e of Darius presented to Alexander the Great. When the Emperor Charles V. repaired to Bologna to be crowned, Giovanni made a portrait of that monarch in steel ; and having formed a medal of gold with the same, he took it at once to the Emperor, who presented him with a hundred golden doub loons, and inquired of the master if he would accompany him into Spain. But Giovanni excused himself, affirming that he could not abandon the service of Pope Clement and the Cardinal Ippolito, for wh"om he had commenced works which were still incomplete. Having returned from Bologna to Rome, Giovanni then execut- ed for the above-named Cardinal de' Medici a Rape of the Sabines, which was most beautiful. For all these things the Cardinal consid- ered himself to be much indebted to Giovanni, and therefore show- ed him many courtesies, presenting him moreover with numerous gifts; but what was more than all, when the Cardinal was departing for France, and was conducted to a certain distance by many nobles and gentlemen, he turned to Giovanni, who was there among the rest, and taking from his own neck a small collar or chain, to which was appended a cameo worth more than six hun- dred scudi, he gave it to Giovanni, telling him that he was to keep it until his return, and with the intention then to reward him as "he considered his great ability to deserve.... Giovanni also executed the portrait of Madonna Margherita of Austria, the daughter of the Emperor Charles V., who had been the wife of the Duke Alessandro de' Medici, and was then the con- sort of the Duke Ottavio Farnese; this work he performed in competition with Valerio Vicentino. For all these labours executed for the Cardinal Farnese, Giovanni received from that prelate as his reward, the office of a Janissary, which brought him in a good sum of money ; he was besides so much beloved by the Cardinal that he obtained many favours at his hands, and the latter never passed through Faenza, where Giovanni had built himself a most commo dious house, that he did not go to take up his abode with the artist. Having settled himself, therefore, at Faenza, with the pur- pose of seeking retirement from the toils of the world, after having performed many labours therein, he remained there from that time forward, and his first wife having died without leaving him any children, he took a second, with whom he lived very happily, being in very easy circumstances, and having an income from lands and other sources, which amounted to more than four hundred scudi. The second wife of Giovanni presented him with two sons and a daughter; he lived content to his sixtieth year, and when he had attained to that age he resigned his soul to God ; this happened on the day of Pentecost, in the year 1555."
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
GASS, F. W.
GASS, F. W. (Russ.). Son of the preceding, and also aMedallist. He resided at St Petersburg and was employed at the Mint there in the capacity of Coin-engraver and Medallist from 1787; pupil of his father and of the Mineralogical College of St Petersburg. In 1794 he entered upon the definite service of the Government, but died three years after, in October 1797. By him are a number of historical medals and portrait-pieces of Russian celebrities, including several types of Peter the Great and Cat...
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GASS, F. W. (Russ.). Son of the preceding, and also aMedallist. He resided at St Petersburg and was employed at the Mint there in the capacity of Coin-engraver and Medallist from 1787; pupil of his father and of the Mineralogical College of St Petersburg. In 1794 he entered upon the definite service of the Government, but died three years after, in October 1797. By him are a number of historical medals and portrait-pieces of Russian celebrities, including several types of Peter the Great and Cat...
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GATTEAUX, JACQUES ÉDOUARD
GATTEAUX, JACQUES ÉDOUARD (French). Sculptor and Medallist, son of N. M. Gatteaux, was born at Paris on the 4th November 1788, where he died on the 9th February, 188 1. He learned medal-engraving with his father, and sculpture under Moitte. In 1809, he obtained the Prix de Rome, and as a pupil of the French Academy at Rome, greatly distinguished himself. On his return to France he was called to the office of Medallist to Louis XVIII. and executed a number of fine medals on the Peace of 1814, the...
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GATTEAUX, JACQUES ÉDOUARD (French). Sculptor and Medallist, son of N. M. Gatteaux, was born at Paris on the 4th November 1788, where he died on the 9th February, 188 1. He learned medal-engraving with his father, and sculpture under Moitte. In 1809, he obtained the Prix de Rome, and as a pupil of the French Academy at Rome, greatly distinguished himself. On his return to France he was called to the office of Medallist to Louis XVIII. and executed a number of fine medals on the Peace of 1814, the...
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GATTEAUX, NICOLAS MARIE
GATTEAUX, NICOLAS MARIE (French.). Medallist, born at Paris on the 2nd of August, 1751, died there on the 24th of June, 1832 ; pupil of Delorme and Gros ; elected Medallist to the King in 1781. His father was a locksmith in poor circumstances, so that the young artist had to work his way up by perseverance and deter- mination of character. At the age of 17, he was left the sole support of his family, but thanks to his happy disposition and uncommon abilities, he soon obtained a remunerative situ...
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GATTEAUX, NICOLAS MARIE (French.). Medallist, born at Paris on the 2nd of August, 1751, died there on the 24th of June, 1832 ; pupil of Delorme and Gros ; elected Medallist to the King in 1781. His father was a locksmith in poor circumstances, so that the young artist had to work his way up by perseverance and deter- mination of character. At the age of 17, he was left the sole support of his family, but thanks to his happy disposition and uncommon abilities, he soon obtained a remunerative situ...
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GATZ, PETER
GATZ, PETER (Germ.). Master of the Mints of Frankfort, Basle and Nördlingen under the Emperor Sigismund. He was a native of Basle, and appears to have filled the post of Mint-master at Frank- fort from 1423 to 1428, but there is no distinctive mark on the Gulden coinage of that period that would indicate his tenure ot office. Gatz was installed Mint-master at Basle for a period of five years in 1429. His Goldgulden were to be similar to those struck at Frankfort, bearing on one side, sceptre and...
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GATZ, PETER (Germ.). Master of the Mints of Frankfort, Basle and Nördlingen under the Emperor Sigismund. He was a native of Basle, and appears to have filled the post of Mint-master at Frank- fort from 1423 to 1428, but there is no distinctive mark on the Gulden coinage of that period that would indicate his tenure ot office. Gatz was installed Mint-master at Basle for a period of five years in 1429. His Goldgulden were to be similar to those struck at Frankfort, bearing on one side, sceptre and...
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