Reference:5627 Eleonora Duchess of Toledo, c. 1551

Bust of Eleonora to left. ELEONORA FLORENTIAE DVCISSA.

A winged and crowned peahen feeding her young.

By Domenico Poggini.

Bronze, cast. 43 mm.

Condition: Fine to Very Fine

Notes:

An attractive early cast, with a rich brown patina and much detail present, particulary in the portrait; weighing 36.65 grammes. Pierced above bust. Diagonal casting flaw on the reverse

Eleonora di Toledo (1522-1562), daughter of Don Pedro di Toledo, Spanish viceroy of Naples. Eleonora married Cosimo de' Medici in 1539.

On the medal, she can be seen wearing a sumputous costume in the style of those recorded in painted portraits of her by Cristofano dell' Altissimo and Bronzino.

The specimen in the Samuel H. Kress Collection is pierced in almost the identical position (National Gallery, Washington). This weighs 35.67 grammes and has a reported casting flaw at the top of the head of the sitter. It is inferior in quality to the specimen currently being offered.