Toward the end (if his lilV another sral|n<ii . ( luiscppe 

 Cerbara. attempted to render his likeness: in laet. a 

 medal issneii in the year of the Pope's deatli was 

 engraved hv this artist (fig. 46). The stooped back 



Fig. 46,— P.AP.Ai. Rome. Pies \II. medal, year XXIII 



[1822]; interior of Museum Piu Chiaramonii '"■' 



(Div. (if Numismatics photo) 



and the dee|)l\- set head incHeate the advanced age 

 of the Pontiff, but. unbroken by the continuous ad- 

 \crsities of an ayitatcd life, his spiritual forcefulness 

 is still e\ident. Strong featiues arc presented in an 

 elegant, flowing plasticitx'. MinuteK' executed sculp- 

 tural details enhance this image of lifelong experiences 

 translated into phvsieal traits. The same smile en- 

 countered in Pasinati's medal \-aguely emerges here 

 Irom Ccrbara's portrait, conveying a sense of benign 

 human understanding, instead of perplexing helpless- 

 ness. 



Giuseppe Ck-rb.ira "" (1770 1856), and iiis vounger 

 brother, Nicolo, are two oulst.fnchng figures in the his- 

 tory of the Roman mint. Giuseppe began his career 

 in the traditional way as a gem engraver, working as 

 an apprentice in the shop of his father. (;io\anni 

 Battista, but devoting much of liis attenli<iii to die 

 engraving for medals. Throuyh unrelentiriL; haid 

 work he liuilt a repvUation wliic h opened lor him (he 



doors of the .\ccadennadi S. I.uca. where he became 

 a member in 1812. Then a vacancy at the Roman 

 nnnt gave him the opportunit\ to |iut his talents at 

 the service of I',,prs 1 .eo XII. I'ius \'ll|, (ucgorv 

 X\l. and Pius IX. ^ ' 



.\ long series of ches lor coins struck under I.eo Xli. 

 Ih«' \-aeant See of 1,S2'). and Pius Mil came from 

 Giuse[)]x''s workshop. His signature, oifs. (:iaui.\K..\ 

 or (;eri3.\r,\ idskimi, is fr<'quently found on coins and 

 medals for a period of 2.S or mcjre years. 



An artistic sensitivity ccjuiiiined with complete 

 mastery of technical |)roblerns m.nks his work. His 

 strong individualilN searched lor new forms to express 

 old emlilemalic representations that were eonlined 

 bv tradition within fixed patlcrns.'" The figure of 

 die C:hurch llo.iting on etiicre.il clouds, a centuries- 

 old syml)ol iif thr spiritu.il puwcr of the Roman 

 Gatholic Church, was used by many artists before 

 hint in an unaltered form as a rever.se type. But this 

 still. arch.Mc figure tlid not s.ttisly Ccrbara's concep- 

 tion ot the per.soifification of religion. .\ secpience 

 of three variations on this theme (figs. 47-49) reveals 





"" ^^ '»>'' 



Fig. 47. — P.M'.M. KiiMi . \'.\(:ANr Si I , .^(.u.i> 

 1 1 11 1 It "-' 

 (Photo cninlcsv Aniriii .111 .Xiniiisiii.aics Sucicls) 



.;. B,il„t;iia 



his tireless atlempls to find more .ippropri.ite lorms 

 for the concept. 1 h<- icmolrncss of the celesij.d 

 ligiire h.id ,tl\\.i\s been indie, Ui'd Ijy a \(i\ II, it. 

 receding relief, m. irked onh' b\' strong contour lines. 



"I" P.«,TRIGN..\NI. /';., 17/, p. 21'). incl.il Kl.S. 



"oiiD.M, vol. 1. p. .186, and vol. ~, p. P: Thilmk and 

 UicKrR. vol. 6. p. 2'M ; BoLZtNiii.M,, p. .itlti; Mariimiki, fa.srs. 

 23-24. p. 22. 



'"Judging only liis medals, P.ttrinn.ini accused liini nnjiisiK' 

 of an antique mannerism in vogue since tlie tiiii<- ol the ll.iniei- 



anis. Ill (hriimi,! \'\'l. |). 23. I'airionani concurs uiih Mai- 

 linoi i"s st.Uenieiu th.it the designs of ( lerli.u a .ire accur,ite .uid 

 re\'eal supei ior qualities in the .iitist. although the style is 

 somewhat manneristic. 



"-' Si'A/i \.M- Ti si A, / ItMiiinii l'ot:l,t:ii. coin 204; .SruAiiNi. 

 pi. ltd, coin 10; I ) \\l Nt'OR I . /■'ttopt''!/! (.'rmrrn, coin 1H3. 



PAPER 33; ITAI.I.AN COIN ENGRAVERS SINCE 180(1 



