Lot 01195

ITALY. Zagarolo. Livia Colonna, Duchess, 1540-1552. Medal (Bronze, 40 mm, 42.30 g, 6 h), an early cast, by Pastorino (Attwood) or Valerio Belli (Toderi-Vannel). LIVIA – COLVMNA Draped bust of Livia to left, wearing a pendant earring and with her hair elaborately arranged. Rev. A bacchante, draped in flowing robes, playing a double flute and striding to right, preceded by an amoretto bearing an upraised thyrsus; raised border. Attwood 464. Molinari 72. TV, xvi, 831 (but struck). Very rare. With a pleasing portrait and an attractive olive-brown patina. Minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From the collection of a Bon Vivant.

Livia Colonna, daughter of Marcantonio I Colonna (1478-1522), was carried off by the general Marzio Colonna (1508-1546) in 1539 and married him in 1540. In 1552 she was murdered by her son-in-law Pompeo Colonna. Seems to have been a happy family.