Lot 3538

Description

Italy, San Carlo Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan 1560-1584, cast bronze medal, 48mm, (40.41 grams), obv. bust to left, wearing hooded cassock and a biretta, rev. lamb on altar with rays issuing from a cloud, Latin legend around, (Attwood, "Italian Medals" c.1530-1600, BM, 2003, No.199 [p.160, Pl.51). Very fine and very rare.

Charles Borromeo was the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal-Priest of the Title of St. Prassede, Papal Secretary of State under Pius IV, and one of the chief factors in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. He was born in the Castle of Arona, a town on the southern shore of the Lago Maggiore in northern Italy, 2 October, 1538; died at Milan, 3 November, 1584. A few examples are noted by Attwood to have a B as has this example and are dated by Attwood to follow Borrromeo's beatification in 1601 and his canonization in 1610.