MERCANDETTI, TOMMASO (Ital.). Medallist, and Engraver of coins, gems and seals, born at Rome, 2. December 1758, died there 11. May 1821. His father, Pietro Mercandetti, who filled the post of Engraver at the Papal Mint, died at an early age, in 1767, leaving his family in poor circumstances, so that the young Tommaso, who had been placed in the seminary of Albano, had to be withdrawn from his studies and put to apprenticeship, when only nine years' old, with the gem-engraver, Girolamo Rossi. After three years the youth was already able to support his mother and brothers and sisters. Two years later he took a small shop in the Via de' Coronari, under Pope Ganganelli — Clement XIV. On his accession to the Papal see, 1773, Cardinal Angelo Braschi, — now Pius VI., — who had employed Tommaso in various occasions, recommended him to the Master (or Chief Engraver) of the Zecca, Baldassare Cortini, and under his benevolent patronage, the young artist secured a position at the Mint. Cortini entrusted Mercandetti with the execution of a Medal of Cremona, with a view of the seminary, also of another for the "Societa del volto Santo di Venezia ", two works which brought their author well-merited praise, and the interest of the famous Brass founder, Luigi Vallardi, who transferred over to him orders for the medals of Conte Castiglione (later Pope Pius VIII.), cardinal Andrea Corsini (later Pope Clement XII.), and of King Ferdinand IV. of Naples and Queen Caroline, which were all engraved by the artist in his twenty-second year. Soon after he had the sorrow of losing his friend and patron Vallardi, who had been to him a second father. This death almost crushed him, and only his wonderful energy and passionate love for work helped him to overcome his grief. In 1796, Cardinal della Porta appointed Mercandetti Chiefengraver at the Zecca, but out of consideration for Gioacchimo Hamerani, the descendant of a famous line of artists, and no doubt also to smooth the jealous feelings of other colleagues, Pasinati, Passamonti, and others, he entered, with the Pope's sanction into a kind of partnership with Hamerani to carry out the work at the Mint. Serious differences having supervened between Hamerani's family, — after Gioacchimo's death, — and Mercandetti, leading to lawsuits, which lasted years, the latter retired to the small Umbrian village of Belmonte, where however his sufferings were not at an end. Owing to the political troubles, the Pope was unable to pay him his arrears, amounting to 81 14 scudi, and all he could do was to grant him a pension of 120 scudi. After some years of privations, the artist returned to Rome, in 1810, through the intervention of a lady of Rieti, who pleaded on his behalf before the French Intendant Daru. One of his first commissions was the Portrait-medallion of Napoleon I. as Emperor of the French and King of Italy, which was followed in 1811 by the medal commemorating the Birth of the King of Rome. Mercandetti died at the age of 63, six days after Napoleon, II. May 1821, soon after having completed his last medal of Pius VII., with a representation on the R. of the Finding of the body of St. Francis of Assisi. Bibliography. — Hennin, Histoire numismatique de la Révolution francaise. — Cinagli, Le Monete de' Papi. — Edwards, The Napoleon Medals, 1837. — Nagler, Allgemeines Künstler-Lexikon and Monogrammisten. — Ad. Hess Nachf, Reimmann Sale Catalogue, 1892. — Bolzenthal, op. cit. — Krohn, Thomsen Bronce-Medailler. — L' ltalia nei cento anni del Secolo XIX, Milan, 1901. — Various Catalogues.
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
MASSONNET
MASSONNET (French). Editor of medals, whose signature : MASSONNET EDIT- occurs on Prize Medals, Badges, Tickets, etc., engraved by various artists; for instance: Medal of the conseil municipal of Bordeaux (1890), by A. Borrel; — J. P. Béranger, 1856; — Isabel II., of Spain, War against Morocco, 1859, by A Gerbier; — Isabel II., African campaign, 1859-1860; — Prize Medal of the Argentine Agricultural Society, 1874 ; — Landing of Garibaldi at Marsala 1860; — Landing of Garibaldi in Calabria, 1860;...
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MASSONNET (French). Editor of medals, whose signature : MASSONNET EDIT- occurs on Prize Medals, Badges, Tickets, etc., engraved by various artists; for instance: Medal of the conseil municipal of Bordeaux (1890), by A. Borrel; — J. P. Béranger, 1856; — Isabel II., of Spain, War against Morocco, 1859, by A Gerbier; — Isabel II., African campaign, 1859-1860; — Prize Medal of the Argentine Agricultural Society, 1874 ; — Landing of Garibaldi at Marsala 1860; — Landing of Garibaldi in Calabria, 1860;...
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MASSOULLE, ANDRÉ ARTHUR PAUL
MASSOULLE, ANDRÉ ARTHUR PAUL (French). Sculptor and Medallist, born at Epernay (Marne), died at Paris, 19. June 1901, at the age of fifty. He was a pupil of Salmson and Cavelier. His principal works are a Statue of Madame de Sévigné, which was purchased by the State and which now decorates the Legion of Honour Boarding School at Saint-Denis; two Water-genii on the Alexander III. Bridge, and the Tomb of Carnot at Châlons-sur-Marne. He obtained a medal of the second class and a purse in 1882, a si...
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MASSOULLE, ANDRÉ ARTHUR PAUL (French). Sculptor and Medallist, born at Epernay (Marne), died at Paris, 19. June 1901, at the age of fifty. He was a pupil of Salmson and Cavelier. His principal works are a Statue of Madame de Sévigné, which was purchased by the State and which now decorates the Legion of Honour Boarding School at Saint-Denis; two Water-genii on the Alexander III. Bridge, and the Tomb of Carnot at Châlons-sur-Marne. He obtained a medal of the second class and a purse in 1882, a si...
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MASSYS
MASSYS or METSYS, QUENTIN (Belg.). Also QUINTIJN MESSIJS or QUINTIN MATSYS, a celebrated Smith and Painter of Antwerp, born at Louvain about 1460, is said to have died in the Carthusian convent at Antwerp, during the second half of 1530, between July 13 and September 16. He was brought up by his father as a smith, "a pursuit then often requiring artistic knowledge and manipulative skill. " The early years of his life were spent at Louvain, where he began to distinguish himself, then he settled a...
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MASSYS or METSYS, QUENTIN (Belg.). Also QUINTIJN MESSIJS or QUINTIN MATSYS, a celebrated Smith and Painter of Antwerp, born at Louvain about 1460, is said to have died in the Carthusian convent at Antwerp, during the second half of 1530, between July 13 and September 16. He was brought up by his father as a smith, "a pursuit then often requiring artistic knowledge and manipulative skill. " The early years of his life were spent at Louvain, where he began to distinguish himself, then he settled a...
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MASTER, THE, OF THE ORPHEUS LEGEND
MASTER, THE, OF THE ORPHEUS LEGEND. Under this heading Bode has described a number of Reliefs, dating from the second half of the fifteenth century, and the work of an artist of Northern Italy. These are : Vulcan in his forge with Mercury and Venus ; — Mars crowned by Victory ; — Apollo and Daphne ; — Orpheus slain by the Thracian maids; — Rape of Europa ; — Achilles taking leave of Thetis; — Venus brings arms to Aeneas; — Antique sacrificial Scene ; — Three mythological Representations ; — Meme...
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MASTER, THE, OF THE ORPHEUS LEGEND. Under this heading Bode has described a number of Reliefs, dating from the second half of the fifteenth century, and the work of an artist of Northern Italy. These are : Vulcan in his forge with Mercury and Venus ; — Mars crowned by Victory ; — Apollo and Daphne ; — Orpheus slain by the Thracian maids; — Rape of Europa ; — Achilles taking leave of Thetis; — Venus brings arms to Aeneas; — Antique sacrificial Scene ; — Three mythological Representations ; — Meme...
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