in 1789 he was nominated third engraver; in 1801, 

 first entjraver; and in 1803, chief ens^raver. Durins; 

 these years he collaborated with Manfredini. 



Most of Salvirch's works were unsisjned. and only 

 on medals may we find his initials i.s.f. (Josephus 

 Salvirch fecit) — or sc (Salvirch Giuseppe) on the 

 pattern of a 40-lire piece of Napoleon. The patterns 



Fig. ID. — It.ai lA.N Rkithmc, pattern scudo of 5 lire, year 2 



[1803] 23 



(Photo from Pagani) 



for the coinage of the Italian I-lei)ul)lic striick Ije- 

 tween 1803 and 1804 (fig. 10), though unsigned, 

 are mainly his work.-* 



An excellent feeling for ornamentation, for those 

 little details which fill the field in counterbalance 

 to the surrounding inscription, distinguishes his 

 work. Harmoniously designed, these patterns some- 

 times show, especially in the medium-sized coins, 

 a distinct tendency to oppose compactly filled ob- 

 verses with sparsely inscribed reverses. 



Fig. II. — Kingdom of Italy, \apoi.i-.on I. pattern 40 lire, 



1807 -'5 



(Phoio IVom Pagani) 



From 1806 and 1807 date his patterns for the re- 

 verse of Napoleon's gold coinage of 40 and 20 lire 

 (fig. 11). The massive coat of arms, with the shields 



-' CNI, vol. .S, p. 41 6, coin 4; Pagani, Prove e progelli, coin 436. 



-' Cj\l, vol. 5, pp. 415-418, coins 1-28; F. and E. Gnf.cchi, 

 pp. 203-206; Comandi.ni, L' Italia nei cento mini, vol. 1, pp. 96-97; 

 Carbonkri, p. 116; Rinai.di, Rnoluzione Francese, coins 

 131-150; Pagani, Prove e progelli, coins 433-466. 



" F. and E. Gnecchi, p. 209, coins 1-2; Rinai.di, coins 



of the many siibjugaied Italian principalities as 

 center design and the surrounding inscription look- 

 ing like a forgotten detail pressed in later, is too 

 cumbrous for the limited field of the coin. Never- 

 theless, the project won Napoleon's approval and 

 for eight years this reverse, joined to Manfredini's 

 obverse, was the emblem of the French Emperor's 

 Italian coinage. 



In his earlier years Salvirch used a more balanced 

 arrangement in his compositions. A good example 

 is the scudo of 6 lire of 1800 engraved for the epheme- 

 ral Cisalpine Republic (fig. 12). The allegorical 



Fig. 12. — Cisalpine Rfplblii:. scudo. year 8 [1800] -« 

 (Div. of Xuinisinatics photo) 



group of the obverse excels not only in its medal- 

 like treatment of the relief but in the classical 

 arrangement of the two figures. The seated figure 

 of France is counterbalanced harmoniously by the 

 standing figure of the Cisalpine Republic while 

 the surrounding field is encircled by an unobtru- 

 sive but compact inscription. 



The reverse, however, even though impressive in 

 its well-rounded line, already shows his growing 

 aversion for empty space. The large letters of the 

 inscription are narrowly enclo.sed within the wreath, 

 contrasting unpleasantly with the uncluttered com- 

 position of the obverse. 



In association with Salvirch worked his disciple and 

 successor Gerolamo Vassallo.^"^ Born in Genoa in 



490-492; Pagani, Prove e progelli, coins 467-471. 



2« CA7, vol. 5, p. 415, coin 1; F. and E. Gnecchi, p. 222, 

 coin 1; Rinaldi, coin 129; Davenport, European Crowns, coin 

 199. 



^-' POM, vol. 6, pp. 204-206; Thieme and Becker, vol. 34, 

 p. 132; BoLZENTiiAL. p. 304; .\vignone, .\tedaglie dei Liguri. 



8 



BULLETIN 229: CONTRIBUTIONS IRO.M I HK MLSEL.M OF HIS1(JR\' .AND TECH.NOLOGY 



