17^3, III- had a ver\- acti\c lilc thai kc|)l him in llic 

 service of llir Hapsluir-^s and nf Napolcdii ,il the 

 mint'; in firniia and Milan. Anininr ( hiillrniaid, 

 the M-niiif i.-n£;i'a\ cf of iht- Milancsr mini, and also 

 Sahiich .ul\iscd him in ihr ait (if caiin cnmaxiim. 

 In his indcprndcnt position as chirf cnniavci- at the 

 (icniia mint, he could dcvclcjp his (}\\ii .ntistic 

 personaHu, nninhiliiti'd l)\ olhci.il dirci lions. 



The coina'^c of the Linuri.m Ivepuhhc (fJenoa) 

 helween l""')? and ISIlS is entiicl\ his woik. 



I'he |)ohtic,d ehanc;es had a irpci'cnssion in hi^ 

 Hie. In ISdS h<' was transferred li\ the f'reneh 

 (ioxcnnnenl to the MiLniese mini, where he spent 

 the remaiiKler of liis da\s. His work dexclcjped 

 ciiiell\' as a colialjoration with Nhmfirdini and 

 SaKirch in serving two masters, Xapoleon ,md i'raneis 

 of Austria. Me ent;ra\i-d many medals in commem- 

 oration of their victories. The entr\ of .X.ipolcon 

 into Genoa is the suliject of (jne of liis medals in 1 Sd.-i,-'^ 

 while tli<- iiatlle at R.itislion w.is idnnneinorated on 

 a medal of ISII'), for which Maiih'edini en'.;ra\-e(l 

 I he re\'erse. Most of \"assallo's works are si>4ned 

 with his complete name or with his initi.ds. ii.\'\s.i-., 

 H.V.F., sometimes only v. 



An acti\'e s|iirit, Vassallo sni|)rises ns with liis 

 invcnliveness in arranaing purely heraldic patteins. 

 The coinage of the Lic;urian Repniilic shows two 

 versions of an emlilematic pattern used on the reverse 

 of the ijold ,nul silver coinage. The coin|)nation ol 

 the ohverse, on the contrarv. is less inspired. \ erv 

 convention.il in its conception, for e\,im|ili', is lli<- 

 allegorical ht;ure on the gold 'Hi-lire piece (liu- l.i)- 



Fig. 13. — LlOCRI.VN RePCBIIO. r)l) IliC, l!!()-, -"' 



(Div. of Numismatics |)li(iiii) 



A well-halanccd composition, it c.innol lie com|),ired, 

 however, with the classicd distinction of .M.inlreflini s 

 groups or with the plasticity of .Salv ir( h's iimires. 



2" CoMANt)INi, l-'lliiliri iin (niln mini, vol. 1, p. 144. 

 ^' CNI, vol. .5, p. 506, coin 2; DrsiMCNi, M/i '/"'/" V", ),/« 

 Li«ur,- ,li Sl.inr Pali,,, (IH')n), vol. 22. pp. 24K 24'); C:.\.u.oniri, 



PAPER .1,^: riAl.IAN COI.N K.XtJR.WI-.RS SIN( :r. 1 SOO 



\ ass.illo vscis iKit skillhil in .id,i|i|in'-; the pl.istie 

 reli<-| ol liniiics to the II, it siulace of .i com. .iwd the 

 more linear tic.itmrnl of his rnL;rav in'_;s pioved in.ide- 

 qn.ite to the wc.ii ol eircuLition. \'eiv ollen wi- 

 ll nd Ijgnrian gold ''d- or IS-liic pirces with ,i sli.idow v 

 figure in thr center, lediucd to .m uncle. u silhouette, 

 vsheiias the siiiroiindin'.; inscription shows littli- we.ir. 



Of nncjnestion.ilile v.ilue instead is the .ille'.;oi ic ,il 

 group represented on the ohverse of the silvei' K-lire 

 |)ieci' ol ISIIl (lio. 14). (lonceived in the spirit cjf 





>-i^^ 



Fli^. 14. — Liia;RivN Rri'ini ic. <; lii< . ioo( ■'" 

 (Div. of .Niiiiiisiiialics |)luiio) 



the time, this neocl.issiiMl tliemr, willi its respresenl.i- 

 tion eif Liliertv .ind I'.qnalilv el, id in Koni,m tjar- 

 ments, bctravs a strong inllueiice of I.avy .ind .S.il- 

 virch. Despite this, \'.issallo innsl lie credited vsith 

 ,1 m.isterhil execution; the well-idunded icliel .nid 



the harmoiiions .irr.mnement of ihe c position 



contribute a representative coiii-iin.i<;e ol the inleiv.il 

 lielween Directoire .ind I'.iupiie. 



The simplicilv of .mc ieni Kom.in ide.ils lound 

 expression not oiilv in his (onieption .nid .irrange- 

 ment of a composition luil also in his iiuerprel.ilion 

 1)1 ,1 poilr.iit. The he. 1(1. h.ired of .inv exiian.il 

 a<lornineins, hecaiue the siilijeii ol intensive study, 

 which resulted in the expression of inilv hum.m 

 ( har.ii leristics. .Wipoleon's doiii in.il lie.; pet son.ilitv' 

 h.id found ,1 timeless iniaue in I,.iv v 's .ind .M.mlredini's 

 poilrails. .mil \'.iss,illo hied lo lollow their ex.imple. 



p. ino. 



'" (;.\7, vol. li, p. .50.T, coin 7; Kinamu, coin Kd; 1) \\ 1 m-uim, 

 l-'.m iijienii Cunrns, coin l')H. 



9 



