Meet Donato Bramante!

Naked, heroic, determined. The architect depicted on this medal, Donato Bramante (1444-1514 AD), had every reason to be contemplative about his life and his work. After all, being one of the founders of High Renaissance architecture must have given him something to reflect on. It certainly gave him enough work for a lifetime, especially considering that Pope Julius II (1503-1513), one of the most powerful popes in the Renaissance, was his commissioner.

Julius II definitely left his mark in the city of Rome by initiating various construction projects. Besides Michelangelo and Rafael, Donato Bramante was one of the most important artists under the patronage of Julius II, being commissioned to undertake what was probably the largest architectural project of his time: the complete construction of a new Saint Peter's Basilica. This leaves us with a first clue why Donato Bramante's portrait, and not that of a ruler, could be depicted here as a ‘face of power’.

As an architect, Bramante influenced the way Pope Julius II was portrayed to the general public. The buildings, paintings, and bridges commissioned by the popes of Rome reflected the splendor and wealth of the Holy See and conveyed its power by showing the papal deeds to the city of Rome. The medal was probably created around 1506. At that time Bramante was in the process of laying the cornerstone of the new Saint Peter’s basilica. We do not know how stressed Bramante was about this milestone, especially considering the well-known violent temper of pope Julius II. However, if this medal is a faithfull portrait, it might have made him lose his hair, as he is depicted wearing a toupee.