Alfonso V of Aragon

Alfonso V of Aragon, King of Naples. 1396-1458

of Mantova, goldsmith, medallist and metal-worker.(? – 1476)

Obverse: ALFONSVS · REX · REGIBVS · IMPERANS · ET · BELLORVM · VICTOR. Bust facing right (resting on a crown), wearing rich culrass (decorated with two winged figures holding a medallion, a group of centaur carrying a nymph, and a Medusa head); mantle over shoulders. Pearled border.

Reverse: VICTOREM / RENGI II MARS ET BELLONA CORONANT Alfonso crowned by Mars and Bellona: Alfonso, wearing antique armour and mantle, seated three-quarters r. on cippus decorated with sphinxes; holds sword upright in right hand, orb in left. On left, Bellona (as Victory, winged, in tunic and mantle, holding palm- branch in left hand.), places a spiked crown on his head; the crown is also held by Mars, nude, wearing helmet, girt with a rope (?), carrying trophy in left hand over his shoulder, and moving rapidly to right. On under-slope of exergue: CHRISTOPHORVSHIERIMIA. Pearled border.

The father was very possibly the goldsmith Geremia di Nicolino dei Geremei, who is mentioned in Mantuan documents from 1438 to I480. The Geremia da Cremona mentioned by Filarete and Vasari as a bronze worker and pupil of Brunelleschi has nothing to do with our medallist, although it is true that Filarete does in one passage call him Cristofano Geremia da Cremona.
Cristoforo is a powerful portrait-modeller. The reverse of his medal of Alfonso betrays the influence of Mantegna, with whom he may have come into contact at Mantuet or through Scarampi, whose portrait now at Berlin was painted about I459.