Book Title: Fasti ducales ab Anafesto I. ad Silvestrum Valerium Venetorum ducem cum eorum iconibus, insignibus, nummismatibus publicis, & privatis aere sculptis: inscriptionibus ex aula M. Consilii, ac sepulchralibus. Adiectae sunt adnotationes, ad vitam cuiusque principis, rerum, quae omissae fuerant; studio Ioannis Palatii ...

Author: Palazzi, Giovanni, b. 1640?

Image Title: Portrait and Medals of Nicolo da Ponte

Description: A portrait of Venetian Doge Nicolo da Ponte (1491-1585), who reigned from 1578 to 1585. A respected diplomat and theologian, da Ponte represented Venice at the Council of Trent before becoming doge. His coat of arms displays a small bridge, a reference to his family’s name. Three medals appear on this page: The obverse of the top medal (left) depicts Doge da Ponte kneeling, supporting himself with a staff headed by a brilliant four-pointed star with fleurs-de-lis at the ends. On the reverse (right), Saint Mark stands, with a book in his left hand and his attribute, the winged lion, behind him. The legend “Fvndamenta. iacta. prid. kal. ivnii” comes from an inscription laid at the foundation of the Church of Santa Croce. The obverse of the second medal depicts the Magi (left), who after following the Star of Bethlehem (visible above), present gifts to Mary and the child Jesus as Joseph looks on. The reverse depicts a section of Venice’s Il Redentore, a church under construction during da Ponte’s reign. The legend “Redemptori votvm. MDLXXVI” recalls the Senate’s 1576 vow to build the church. The bottom medal commemorates Venice’s 1581 procession of Saint Stephen’s body. That year, a new San Giorgio Maggiore hosted the ceremony, with Doge da Ponte and Patriarch Giovanni Trevisano in attendance. The reverse legend (left) reads “Nicolao de Ponte. Dvce Venetiar et caet. et Ioanne Trivisano Patriarcha MCCCCCLXXXI. XV. avgvsti.” The obverse legend (right) reads “Translatio beati. STEPHANI Prothomartyris AD. alivm. locvm. hvivs Ecclesiae Sancti Geor”.

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