Blog

History, art, and rarity of Federico II Gonzaga’s Mezzo Testone

Written by Greta Gazzaniga

The art of the Mantua mint and the innovation of Federico II

The Mantua mint and the Gonzaga coinage have always fascinated collectors, especially for their magnificent portraits, as seen on 15th and 16th-century coins. One of their most prominent figures, Federico II, was an incredible innovator and patron of the arts for his city. This trait is clearly reflected in his coins—small masterpieces crafted by the engraver Gian Battista Cavalli. Under Federico II, the mint was located in the wealthiest and economically most vital area of the city: the Santo Stefano district, which was also home to the goldsmiths’ street. According to a hypothesis by Attilio Portioli, it was likely Federico II himself who, starting from 1526, transitioned the mint’s management from the control of the city podestà to a system of leasing and outsourcing the minting operations.

Federico II’s Mezzo Testone and its connection to the relic of the Most Precious Blood

In our Auction 12, lot 307, we have the privilege of presenting an extremely rare Mezzo Testone of his. The reverse depicts two angels holding the pyx containing the relic of Christ’s blood according to tradition, which is still preserved today inside the Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua.

Records of this relic date back to the early 15th century, and in 1459, the Confraternity of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ was founded, remaining active to this day. At the beginning of the 16th century, the original glass pyx containing the relic broke. At that point, by the wish of Isabella d’Este, mother of Federico II, two new glass reliquaries were made: one containing the collected blood and the other the fragments of the destroyed first container. Among the various designs, Benvenuto Cellini also proposed a model for the new pieces.

This object is featured very frequently on Mantua’s coinage, as it represented one of the most important relics kept in the city. In addition to the reliquaries, there were also three gold pendants containing portions of the relic, which were worn by members of the Gonzaga family as a testament to their devotion.

Nomisma Aste, Asta 12, Lotto 307, MANTOVA Federico Gonzaga (1519-1540) Mezzo Testone

Auction 12, Lot 307, MANTOVA Federico Gonzaga (1519-1540) Mezzo Testone

Gian Battista Cavalli: the master engraver behind the Gonzaga coinage

Regarding the engraver of these coins, Gian Battista Cavalli, he was likely the son of Gian Marco Cavalli, an engraver who had worked for Emperor Maximilian I at the Hall mint. Archival documents confirm that the double testone featuring David playing the harp on the reverse is by his hand. Generally, scholars agree on attributing Federico II’s coins to him. Furthermore, records show that the engraver also worked for the Reggio Emilia mint, creating the scudo for Ercole II d’Este.

From “bussolotto” to “mezzo testone”: history of a name

One final unique detail of this coin is its true name. Traditionally, based on its weight relative to the so-called “light testoni“, this coin is referred to as a “mezzo testone“; however, at the time, it would actually have been called a “bussolotto”. This information is confirmed by a 1492 monetary decree (grida) issued by Francesco II Gonzaga—Federico II’s father—which reconfirmed the value of a bussolotto at 9 soldi. In fact, a bussolotto was worth 3 grossi, exactly as declared by his grandfather, Ludovico III Gonzaga. The testone, on the other hand, had a total value of 15 soldi.

The term “bussolotto” was used exclusively for Mantuan coinage. This word was commonly employed to describe a small cylindrical vessel, likely in direct reference to the reliquary depicted on these very coins. It is possible that, over time, the precise half-weight ratio between a light testone and this coin led scholars to define it as a “mezzo testone“. The CNI (Corpus Nummorum Italicorum) also adopts this terminology for the coins in Vittorio Emanuele III’s collection. However, a recent review of archival documents has shed light on this terminological simplification.

In addition to being extremely hard to find, these specimens are rarely discovered in a good state of preservation. Despite a weak strike, the piece we are presenting in our auction is undoubtedly of outstanding numismatic and collecting interest.

See also: