Pietro Fortini (1500–62), Le cene by Anton Francesco
GRAZZINI, the 75 novelle of Le piacevole notte (1550, 1553)
by Gianfrancesco Straparola (c. 1490–1557), the 214 Nov-
elle (1554, 1573) by Matteo BANDELLO, source of many
plots for later playwrights, DELLA CASA’s Galateo (1558),
and CINTHIO’s Hecatommithi (1565), which contained the
sources for Shakespeare’s Othello (III, 7) and Measure for
Measure (VIII, 5).
Further reading: Gloria Allaise (ed.), Italian Novella
(London and New York: Routledge, 2002); Corradina Ca-
porello-Szykman, The Boccaccian Novella: Creation and
Waning of a Genre (New York: Peter Lang, 1990).
Noye, Sebastian van (Sebastian van Noyen, Sebastian
van Oye) (c. 1493–1557) Netherlands architect
Noye was born in Utrecht and worked as military architect
for Emperor Charles V; the star-shaped fortress at
Philippeville (now in Belgium) was one of his construc-
tions. In 1550 he also built the Brussels palace of Cardinal
GRANVELLE, an important building in true Italian Renais-
sance style.
numismatics The collecting and studying of coins and
medals. The science of numismatics originated with the
enthusiasm of Italian noblemen for all aspects of the clas-
sical world during the early Renaissance. Such scholars as
PETRARCHformed large collections of Greek and Roman
coins, especially prizing specimens of particular histori-
cal interest or rarity. The popularity of coin collecting
in Italy also precipitated the growth of a lucrative trade
in counterfeits. Jacopo STRADAin the 1550s was one of
the earliest collectors to publish his coin collection. The
Medagliere Mediceo, a vast collection of Italian medals,
was begun by Lorenzo de’ Medici and is now housed in
the Bargello, Florence.
The striking of medals, usually as commemorative
items, was known in the classical world but was exten-
sively revived during the Renaissance, when it reached its
highest level of artistry. The usual formula for the design
of medals reflected the practice of imperial Rome: a por-
trait head in profile on the obverse and on the reverse a
symbol or device. Considerable ingenuity was often ex-
pended in the Renaissance upon the choice of IMPRESEfor
the reverses of medals. The metals commonly used were
lead or bronze. PISANELLOeffectively launched the art of
the Renaissance medal with his bronze medal of the
Byzantine emperor John VIII Palaeologus in 1438. This
was the first of a series of notable portrait medals; among
those who commissioned medals from him were several
members of the Gonzaga family, Duke Filippo Maria Vis-
conti of Milan (1441), Leonello d’Este (1442), Sigismondo
Malatesta (1445), and Alfonso I of Naples (1449).
Pisanello’s success inspired a number of contempo-
rary imitators, among them Antonio Marescotto of Ferrara
(active 1444–62), Matteo de’ PASTIof Verona, and, slightly
later, ADRIANO FIORENTINO. All early medals were cut en-
tirely by hand but innovations were gradually made by
leading medalists, such as the architect Donato BRAMANTE,
who invented a press for leaden seals. Preeminent among
medalists of the 16th century was Benvenuto CELLINI, who
also made improvements in methods of engraving dies.
Other important Italian medalists included Savelli SPE-
RANDIOin Ferrara, Bologna, and Venice, Niccolò Fioren-
tino (Niccolò Spinelli; 1430–1514) and Cellini’s pupil Pier
Paolo Romano (c. 1520–84) in Florence, Caradosso
(Cristoforo Caradosso Foppa; 1452–1527) in Rome, AN-
TICOin Mantua, and Pastorino de’ Pastorini (1508–92) in
Siena.
Outside Italy, there developed a notable medal-
striking tradition in Germany during the first half of the
16th century, where Peter FLÖTNER, Ludwig Krug
(c. 1490–1532), and others established a leading school at
Nuremberg. Albrecht Dürer also produced several designs,
although he probably never actually struck the medals
himself. The Milanese Antonio Abondio (1538–91) made
bronze medals in Vienna for the emperors Maximilian II
and Rudolf II, and his son Alessandro (1575–c. 1645) fol-
lowed in his footsteps. French medalists dominated the art
during the 17th century, especially François BRIOT, Guil-
laume Dupré (c. 1576–1643), who was also in charge of
France’s coinage, and Jean Warin (1604–72). A younger
relative of François Briot, Nicolas Briot (1580–1646) set-
tled in England (1625), worked for the Mint, and in-
structed the English medalists and engravers Thomas
Rawlins (c. 1620–70) and Thomas Simon (1618–65).
Thomas Simon’s brother Abraham (1617–92) and the
Antwerp-born John Roettiers (1631–1703) maintained a
belated Renaissance medallic tradition after the Restora-
tion; among the Simon brothers’ notable medals were a
famous portrait of Oliver Cromwell (1656) and a gold one
of General Monck (1660).
Further reading: John Cunnally, Images of the Illustri-
ous (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999);
Stephen K. Scher, Perspectives on the Renaissance Medal
(New York: Garland, 1999).Nunes, Pedro (1492–1577) Portuguese geographer and
mathematician
Born at Alcacer do Sal, Nunes was a brilliant student and
quickly rose to become professor of mathematics at Lis-
bon. In 1529 he was appointed royal cosmographer to
promote Portugal’s claim to possession of the Spice Is-
lands. He translated part of Ptolemy’s works (1537) and
wrote a treatise De arte atque ratione navigandi (1546). He
recognized (1537), but did not pursue, the navigational
problem solved by MERCATORin his projection, and in De
crepusculis (1542) explained the phenomenon of after-
glow, or second twilight. His Libro de Algebra en Arith-
metica y Geometria appeared in 1567. Between 1538 and33444 4 NNooyyee,, SSeebbaassttiiaann vvaann