Florence (Republic of). Medallion, Beatrice Portinari ND (19th c.).

Copper - 161.68 g - 109 mm - 12 h
Cast copper, cracked along the base of the bust. A suspension point on the back. TTB.
Beatrice was a 13th-century Florentine noblewoman who became the absolute muse of the poet Dante Alighieri after a furtive encounter during their childhood. Her untimely death at the age of 24 had a profound effect on the writer, prompting him to immortalize her as a symbol of purity and divine grace. In The Divine Comedy, she leaves her role as a historical woman to become the spiritual guide who leads Dante through the spheres of Paradise.