Pope Urban VIII, portrait

URBAN VIII



(August 6, 1623 — July 29, 1644)



photo of medal
description of medal
Pope Urban VIII, Year 42, 1624

Æ


Obv.:

VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • II •

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded, wearing cope.


(Beneath bust;) 1624

[crack in die, from 12:00 across pope's forehead]

Allegorical figure of Justice Rev.:

PAX •IN• VIRTVTE | TVA•


(in exergue:) •1624•


Allegorical figure of Justice, with scales in l., sword in r.




Mazio, 183.
Spink 942.



Pope Urban VIII, Year 4 Æ




Obv.:

VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • IIII •

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded, wearing cope.
Holy Door, 1625
Rev.:

RESERAVIT ET CLVSIT

(in field:) ANN (l.) | IVB (r.)

(in exergue:) MDCXXV.


The Holy Door, walled up.
Holy Year, 1625.



Spink 943.



Pope Urban VIII, Year 4 Æ



Obv.:

VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • IIII •

(on base of the bust:) 1627

(below bust: ) GASP • MOLO

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded, wearing cope.
Holy Door, 1625

Rev.:

TE MANE | TE VESPERE


The Pope, kneeling, vested in cope, with Tiara at his feet, before St. Michael the Archangel, with helmet, sword, and scales of justice.




Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio: similar to 197.
Spink 974.

This reverse type was frequently issued: 1625, 1627, 1631, 1632, 1640, 1644.



Pope Urban VIII, Year 7 Æ

Obv.:

VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • AN • VII •



Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded, wearing cope.
Pope consecrating Basilica of St. Peter, 1626 Rev.:

S PETRI BASILICA CONSECRATA


(in exergue: ROMA)


The Pope, in tiara and mass vestments, attended by bishops and court. The new basilica of St. Peter's was consecrated on November 18, 1626, the 1300th anniversary of the original foundation.


Mazio, 198 (illustrating Year VIII).
Spink 959, 969.

The reverse type is repeated for Year 5 (Spink 980), Year 7, and Year 8 (Spink 1000). The obverse die is sometimes retouched to indicate a new regnal year.





Pope Urban VIII, Year 13 Æ

Obv.:

VRBANVS • VIII • PON • MAX • A. • XIII •

GASP • MOLO •


Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded, wearing cope.
Facade of Church of St. Anastasia, 1635 Rev.:

AEDE EXORNATA | FACIE RESTITVTA

(on entablature of facade:) S • | ANASTASIAE | • D •

(This specimen without the date in exergue: MDCXXXV)


Facade of the Church of Santa Anastasia

[The facade is by Luigi Arrigucci.]


Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio, 204 (variant).
Spink 1019 (19th cent. restrike).


Pope Urban VIII, Year 1638 Æ


Obv.:
VRBANVS • VIII • PON • MAX • A • XV

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded and tonsured, wearing cope.

(below bust:) GAS • MOL • MDCXXXVIII
The Baptistery, S. Giovanni Laterano


Rev.:

ORNATO CONST LAV|ACRO ET INSTAVRATO

(in exergue:) ROMAE

View of the Baptistry of S. Giovanni Laterano.





Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Spink -.

The same medal was issued in Years 12, 14, 15, and 16, sometimes with the same obverse die (date retooled).
{Spink 1016, 1027, 1038]



Pope Urban VIII, Year 17 Æ
33 mm

Obv.:


VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • XVII •

Bust of the pope, r., wearing cope.






[restrike, from a very rusted die, die break across beard]
ANgel crowing Urban with tiara


Rev.:

TE • MANE • TE • VESPERE



Archangel Michael crowning Urban with tiara. border of flowers.




Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio, 213
Spink 1054.

[a frequently repeated reverse type]

Pope Urban VIII, Year 17 Æ
(silvered)

Obv.:


VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • XVII •

Bust of the pope, r., wearing cope.

(on bottom of bust:) G • M • F [G(asparo) . M(olo) . F(ecit)]
(below bust:) MDCXXXX
Quirinale Palace, Rome


Rev.:

+ AD • AEDIVM • PONTIFICVM • SECVRITATEM



View of the Quirinale Palace, 1640.



Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Bartolotti 640;
Spink 1046.

 

Pope Urban VIII, Year 17

Æ


Obv.:


VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • A. • XVII •

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded and tonsured, wearing cope.
Inscription celebrating the Jesuit centenary, 1640

Rev.:

MVNIFICENTIA | ANT • BARBERINI | S • R • E • CARD • CAM | SOCIET • IESV • ANNO | PIE • CELEBRATO | S(alutis) M DC XXXIX | V KAL • OCT •

Inscription, with winged cherub heads above and below. Celebrates the Jesuit centenary (September 27, 1540-1640) and the generosity of the Papal Nephew, Antonio Cardinal Barberini, Cardinal Camerlengo.

[restrike, from very damaged obverse and reverse dies]


Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio 211; Spink 1037.

G. Moroni Dizionario historico-ecclesiastica Vol. 86 (1857) p. 62.

 

Pope Urban VIII, Year 19, 1642

Æ


Obv.:


VRBANVS • VIII • PON • MAX • A. • XIX

Bust of the pope, r., wearing camauro and mozzetta.
New granaries

Rev.:


VBERIORI • ANNONÆ • COMMODO

View of the new Termini granaries.

 


Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio 217; Spink 1062.

G. Moroni Dizionario historico-ecclesiastica Vol. 86 (1857) p. 66

 

Pope Urban VIII, Year 21

Æ



Obv.:


VRBANVS • VIII • PONT • MAX • XXI •

Bust of the pope, r., bareheaded and tonsured, wearing cope.

(at left tip of bust:) G • M • [ G(asparo) . M(olo) ]
(below bust:) 1644



Allegorical figures


Rev.:

FORTITER • EGIT • PRVDENTER • PATITVR

•MDCXLIV•

Allegorical figures of Fortitude, Peace, and Prudence





Engraver: Gaspare Molo (ca. 1580-1640)
Mazio 221; Spink 1071.

An obvious cast made from a pierced specimen. The obverse die inscriptions were retooled.
F. Artaud de Montor, Histoire des Souverains Pontifes romains V (Paris 1851) 372.



 

January 17, 2010 4:04 PM

© 2008 John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu

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