HANS REINHARDT THE ELDER, CA. 1510 – 1581 LEIPZIG VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT “HOLY TRINITY MEDAL” KNOWN AS “MORITZPFENNIG” OF MUSEUM QUALITY Diameter: 10 cm. Height including chain and sphere: 22.5 cm. The medal is one of the most important gold works of the late German Gothic period on the verge of early Renaissance. The object is also considered a one of the artist´s major works. It is assumed that it was commissioned by Maurice, Elector of Saxony as a means to mediate between Catholics and Protestants as the depiction of the “Mercy Seat” was considered a unifying symbol of both denominations. There are reliefs on both sides of the medals, the “Mercy Seat” on the front in elaborately undercut high relief: God the Father is depicted on the throne with royal crown, imperial orb and sceptre; the crucifix with the body of Christ below him and the symbol of the dove for the Holy Spirit between them. The figure of God the Father takes up almost the entire height of the depiction, his feet are resting either side of the cross on a semi-circular base. The throne already shows stylistic features typical for early Renaissance with textured pilasters on either side supporting a round arch in the background of the crown. By contrast the finely carved and undercut plaited and curly hair of the beard is still created in the Late Gothic style. The pilasters are surmounted on either side by winged cherub heads, while the sides of the throne are baluster-shaped. An angel with folded hands is standing on either side of the throne on bands of clouds. The edge of the medal shows a revolving Latin majuscule inscription, the text according to Isaiah 53 “PROPTER SCELVS POPULI MEI PERCVSSI EUM ESAIAE LIII” (Therefore I have given my son). The reverse of the medal also shows a revolving inscription with an artist´s monogram and date “M.D.X.L.IIII” (1544) “REGNANTE MAVRITIO D: G: DVCE SAXONIAE. GROSSVM HUNC LIPSIAE . HR (= Hans Reinhardt) CVDEBAT”.The monogram of Christ “IHS” is shown on a small sign at the top edge. The field is filled with a profiled frame held by two standing angels. There is a 22-line Latin inscription within the frame reading “HAEC EST / FIDES CATHOLICA / UT UNUM DEUM IN TRINI.” It closes with “TIBI / CANIMUS, TIBI LAUS ET GLORIA.” (With regards to the Holy Trinity of God) and finishes with: “Laud and Honour to you”. The goldsmith and medal artist is recorded between 1534 and 1581. In 1535 he created the templates for the portrait medallions on the main entrance to the grand spiral staircase of Castle Hartenfels in Torgau. In 1539 he obtained citizenship in Leipzig and was admitted to the Guild of Goldsmiths. The great medal was created in several individual pieces that were soldered together. This also explains the great undercuts and magnificent high relief effect. Only few other versions with minor deviations are known. One example is held at the Trier Cathedral Treasury. When comparing the Trier medal and other examples, it is evident that the medals were reworked and finished to a very fine standard after being cast. The background of the revolving inscription in our medal is, for instance, chased, while the base of the throne of the Trier medal is fluted. Instead of the letters “HR”, the Trier medal shows a base with diamond patterns. Furthermore, by comparison with the Trier example, God the Father is showing another central curly plait in his beard in the lot on offer for sale here. It is assumed that the “HR” monogram in the example at Trier, as in others, is an addition by the workshop of a later date, as it does not correspond with the appropriate reserve of the medal artist, whose monogram already features in the circumscription. A further example shows the coat of arms of Saxony instead of the sign with the “IHS” cartouche. The trunk of the crucifix also shows slight variations of subsequent reworking. Examples are dated to 1556, 1561, 1566, 1569 and 1574. As Wolfgang Steguweit noted in Currency of Fame, the examples dating to 1544 and later do no longer have the same high quality as the earlier versions. Unlike the other known examples, the medal on offer for sale in this lot features three soldered-on eyelets on the top edge with three chains joining into a ring and one eyelet at the bottom with a pendant openwork sphere decorated with Flamboyant tracery. Diameter: 3.5 cm. The chain links show individual grooves. Silver; fire-gilt. In very good condition. Literature: H. Holland, Reinhart Hans, in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. 28, Leipzig 1889, p. 71. G. Wustmann, Die Leipziger Goldschmiede Hans Reinhard d. Ä. und d. J., in: Aus Leipzigs Vergangenheit. Gesammelte Aufsätze, 1885, pp. 135-160. K. Meukow, Hans Reinhard. Das Entstehen einer neuen Kleinkunst am Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts, Unpublished master´s thesis, Halle 2009. G. Habich, Die deutschen Schaumünzen des XVI. Jahrhunderts II (1931), 283 no. 1962, plate 207,1; 209,1. W. Steguweit in: S. K. Scher (ed.), The currency of fame. Portrait medals of the Renaissance, New York 1994, no. 127. € 40.000 - € 60.000 Sistrix INFO | BID Das Monogramm HR für Hans Reinhardt Translate all texts into your preferred language on our homepage via Google: www.hampel-auctions.com 23
