Gregory XVI (Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, 1765-1846), Pope 1830 [obverse]

Giuseppe Cerbara

National Gallery of Art

This is a photograph of a historical medallion. The medallion is oval-shaped and features a raised, detailed profile of a religious figure wearing ornate religious garments and a richly decorated mitre. The figure holds a book with Latin inscriptions visible on its pages. Surrounding the relief are raised Latin inscriptions along the edge of the medallion. The surface of the medallion has a patinated metallic finish, suggesting it is made of bronze or a similar material. There is a loop at the top, indicating it was meant to be hung or worn. The craftsmanship of the medallion is intricate, exhibiting fine attention to detail in the depiction of the garments and facial features.