crty— the Phrvi;ian cap— ami dra|)ccl with two nn- 

 furlcd lias:?, supports a lioIdK a(lvaiRui<; ca^ie of 

 nationalism, enclosed in its wreath ol" victorv. astride 

 the fasces, svmbol of authority. Tlu' dxnaniic ea^le,''' 

 modeled l>v a master's liand in a vigorous thou<.;li 

 graceful plasticity, suggests the exulx-rancc of trium- 

 phant ideals after a battle. An antithesis of higli 

 against Hat relief accentuates the ellcc t of lonical .se- 

 ciuence; the leathered legs of the eagle, protruding in 

 |5o\verhil strides, convev the rhythm of advancing 

 mo\-ement in contrast to the static haekyround. 



The unusual coin image wa.s the result of previous 

 experiments, an example of" which is the scudo of 

 year 6 and of year 7 (fig. 4(1). This earlier ])ieee. 



^^ 



^-„^ -^,'0 705.0 -Ji 



Fig. 40. — Rc)MAN Replblic, scudii, \r,ir \ 11 jiycHil "~ 

 (..Author's jjlioto) 



which contains the same basic, sculptin-al elements, 

 but all dominated b\' a static conception, w.is trans- 

 formed Ia' the spark of inspiration into the ni.ister- 

 piece ol limn'e 39. 



Ancjther scudo (fig. 41), created earlier for the 

 Roman RepTiblic, clearh- shows Mercandetti's s( ulp- 

 tural abilities as well as his defects. Here he follows a 

 more traditional pattern by using the figm-e of l.iben\- 

 as the obverse of the coin. Tlie reverse field enclos<'s 

 the inscri])ti(jn within an oak wreath. .And again 

 Mercandetti's acute talent for the decor.itivc ele- 

 ment finds happy expression. Extreme siniplic itv, 

 ins[)ircd bv an exquisite sense of propoition with the 

 juxtaposition of massive and low relief, results in an 

 unobtrusivelv l)eaiuihil coin emblem. 



1 he obverse, while drnotinu the same haiinonions 

 b.ilaiicc in tlie arranuenient of (uin motif and inscri])- 

 tion, (.uriesan archaic liuui e of 1 .ibertv in the center. 

 .Mthou^h the vcrii<,il molif is emphasi/cd through 



I'ii;. 41 .— RoM.vN R I IT 111 11:. S( mill j im d.m-J *'■ 

 (Aulliur's pliiiUi) 



the doulile line ol upriL^hl siepter and fast rs, the 

 figure kicks a ne( essarv slenileriiess, and the m.issivi' 

 draperv onlv cmphasi/es the i'obu>l .iiid .iwkward 

 |ilasticiiv m| [jir image. 



Fig. 42. — Rvrvvr Rovii , I'li s \'ll. medal lim (l.iii-l: view of 



.St. I'cici's 



(Div. (if .\iiiiiisin,ni(S iilunci) 



The same wooden riLiiililv of (imloin- and plastic 

 snrl.Re is presi-nt in .1 poiii.ni nird.il ol I'ope I'ius 

 \'II (fig. 42). .Spontaneity and phv siognomic insight 



"^MARriNoRi (fasc. 22, p. 31), asserts tliat this ci^lc is the- »' Si RArixi, |>1. 1ti, coin I'): f ' \ /. Mil. 1", 'oin 2H. Marii- 



copy of an ancient Roman reliel lound in llu- I n, um oflV.ii.m. nor,, fase. 22, p. 3; S,.\/ivni- li s, \. / R.mmm VonUfin. |). Ml. 



"^ .Skrafini, pi. 153, coin 21: C.'.W, vol. 1 ', . uin 11; Spv/ivm- coin 264. 



TisTA, / Hnm.nu Pmil.fi,,. p. 1411, ruin 2(.3. '"" 1"a i RK-N VM. /''" 17/, meil.il 1. 



I'.M'ER 3.i: n ALLAN CIOIN KNGkA\-LRS SlXCl-. bSd" 



21 



