MICHELOZZO, MICHELOZZI (Ital.). Florentine Sculptor and Architect, born in 1391, died in 1462. Vasari in his description of the pictures in the Palazzo Vecchio, says, speaking of the portrait of Santi Bentivoglio : "I have made it after the medal from the hand of Michelozzo Michelozzi. This medal has not come down to us. But Armand, and after him, Heiss have ascribed to Michelozzo, a medal of Cosimo the Elder (illustrated), formerly attributed to Pisanello, and now given to Niccolo Fiorentino, by C. von Fabriczy, and according to the more recent authorities, Michelozzo's name should thus be erased from the list of Italian medallists. “ Vasari speaks — not in the biography of the master, but elsewhere incidentally —of Michelozzo, the celebrated Director of Works at the Court of the Medici and Sculptor in bronze and marble, as the author of a medal, no longer extant, of Santi Bentivoglio of the year 1445. Three pages further on (Vol. VIII, p. 99), however, where he enumerates the works done by the artist for Cosimo de' Medici, he mentions no medal of the latter among them, although had a work of the kind been forthcoming the passage would have demanded its notice. Nevertheless, on the strength of Vasari's vague statements, and in consideration of the close relations that existed between Michelozzo and Cosimo the Elder, it is believed that the medal of Cosimo, which has come down to us in four slightly different variants, is to be attributed to him. The attribution dates back to the Weimar dilettanti, who ascribed the fourth variant to Michelozzo, while for the first they actually adduce the name of Donatello. From them it would appear Armand and Heiss inherited the attribution (which they extend to all the four replicas) while Friedländer explains them as works of Niccol? Fiorentino. In any case, this view has more probability in its favour than that of the French savants. The delicate individualisation in the portrait does not correspond to the rude provincial manner of Michelozzo, nor even does the Florentia on the reverse reveal anything of the conspicuous manner in which in his statues he strove to imitate the antique; but apart from this the latter theory is opposed by chronological considerations. Since Cosimo died on August 1st, 1464, and only received the title P(ater) P(atriae) accorded him on the medal after his death, i. e. on March 16th, 1465 (Friedländer incorrectly gives March 16th, 1464), it follows that the medal cannot have been produced previous to this date. On the other hand the accurate reproduction of it in a miniature in the title of a Codex of the Laurentiana, dedicated to Piero Medici, shows that it must have existed as early as 1469, the year of Piero's death. " We know however, that Michelozzo was absent in Milan, Ragusa, and Schio from 1462 onwards, and it appears improbable that even had they waited until the return of the master (in 1466 at the earliest) the Medici would have entrusted the commission to a man of seventy, when Florence already possessed a series of approved medallists. As regards the medal itself, however, we cannot better, characterise its artistic value than in Goethe's words : " The work is quite extraordinarily masterly and bold ; at the first glance, it is true, the portrait seems sketchy and hastily designed; on closer inspection, however, it is wonderfully ingenious, full of meaning and complete in every part ". (Cornelius von Fabriczy, Italian Medals; translation by Mrs Gustavus W. Hamilton, 1904, p. 115 sqq.). Michelozzo assisted Donato in the execution of the noble monument in the Florentine Baptistry to Pope John XXIII, who died in 1415. To Michelozzo Dr W. Bode ascribes two Plaques in high relief: Madonna, half-length ; 8,8x5,6; — Madonna between worshipping Genii ; 18, 5X 10,2 (Die italienischen Bronzen, Berlin, 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
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
MENGANTI, ALESSANDRO
MENGANTI, ALESSANDRO (ltal.). Mint-engraver at Bologna, appointed on 18. January 1573, in succession to Gerolamo Faccioli; he was still in office in 1585, and he cut the dies of all the Bolognese coins of Gregory XIII. (1572-1585) and possibly some of Sixtus V. By Menganti, who was also a famous Sculptor, is the statue of Pope Gregory XIII. in the public square of Bologna; and other works in marble and bronze. He was a pupil of Michel Angelo, and is said to have avoided the exaggerations of this...
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MENGANTI, ALESSANDRO (ltal.). Mint-engraver at Bologna, appointed on 18. January 1573, in succession to Gerolamo Faccioli; he was still in office in 1585, and he cut the dies of all the Bolognese coins of Gregory XIII. (1572-1585) and possibly some of Sixtus V. By Menganti, who was also a famous Sculptor, is the statue of Pope Gregory XIII. in the public square of Bologna; and other works in marble and bronze. He was a pupil of Michel Angelo, and is said to have avoided the exaggerations of this...
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MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP
MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP (Dutch). Medallist and Coin-engraver, born at Utrecht in 1818, died there on 20. September 1895. He was a pupil of David van der Kellen and studied also sculpture under Louis Royer at the Royal Academy of Sculpture at Amsterdam. At the age of eighteen or nineteen, he engraved his first medals, in commemoration of P. C. Hooft, and Prince William George Frederick of Nassau, who died at Padua in 1799. In 1839 the young artist obtained a silver medal, and in 1845 he was appointe...
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MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP (Dutch). Medallist and Coin-engraver, born at Utrecht in 1818, died there on 20. September 1895. He was a pupil of David van der Kellen and studied also sculpture under Louis Royer at the Royal Academy of Sculpture at Amsterdam. At the age of eighteen or nineteen, he engraved his first medals, in commemoration of P. C. Hooft, and Prince William George Frederick of Nassau, who died at Padua in 1799. In 1839 the young artist obtained a silver medal, and in 1845 he was appointe...
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MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP MATHIAS
MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP MATHIAS (Dutch.). Medallist and Coinengraver, born at Utrecht, 21. April 1845, studied sculpture under his father, and G. Crayevanger. and was taken as apprentice at the Royal Mint, 2, March 1862. In 1864 he received a government grant to study sculpture and medal-engraving at the Royal Academy of Arts of Munich, where he worked under Prof. Wiedmann; Riez, Chief-engraver at the Bavarian Mint; and Birnböck, Court-medallist to the Czar Alexander II. He returned to his native c...
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MENGER, JOHAN PHILIP MATHIAS (Dutch.). Medallist and Coinengraver, born at Utrecht, 21. April 1845, studied sculpture under his father, and G. Crayevanger. and was taken as apprentice at the Royal Mint, 2, March 1862. In 1864 he received a government grant to study sculpture and medal-engraving at the Royal Academy of Arts of Munich, where he worked under Prof. Wiedmann; Riez, Chief-engraver at the Bavarian Mint; and Birnböck, Court-medallist to the Czar Alexander II. He returned to his native c...
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MENGIN, ANTONIO
MENGIN, ANTONIO (Portug.). Medallist, and Mint-engraver at Lisbon, 1721-1772. He was born in 1690, and died in 1772. On a document, dated 1. April 1727, he is styled Abridor geraldas medalhas e cunhos de moedas. Amongst his productions are commemorative medals of the Portuguese Campaign and participation in the War against the Turks, and Miraculous escape from an Ambush of King Don José, 1758. Mengin's artistic merit is unquestionable, says Arag?o. He had two assistants at the Mint : Bernardo ...
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MENGIN, ANTONIO (Portug.). Medallist, and Mint-engraver at Lisbon, 1721-1772. He was born in 1690, and died in 1772. On a document, dated 1. April 1727, he is styled Abridor geraldas medalhas e cunhos de moedas. Amongst his productions are commemorative medals of the Portuguese Campaign and participation in the War against the Turks, and Miraculous escape from an Ambush of King Don José, 1758. Mengin's artistic merit is unquestionable, says Arag?o. He had two assistants at the Mint : Bernardo ...
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