Antonio Abondio
Antonio Abondio (1538–1591) was an Italian sculptor, best known as a medallist and as the pioneer of the coloured wax relief portrait miniature. Antonio Abondio was born in Riva del Garda, he was trained by Leone Leoni and worked in Italy between 1552 and 1565. Thereafter he mainly worked for the Habsburgs, with a few works made for French and Polish kings.
Also recorded as Antonio, the younger Abondio · Antonio Abondi · antonio abondio d. j. · antonio abondio
Antonio Abondio
Antonio Abondio · The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of Mrs. George A. Martin · CC0
- Born
- Antonio Abondio was born in 1538.
- Died
- Antonio Abondio died on 3 May 1591.
- Occupation
- sculptor, medalist and painter.
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Antonio Abondio (1538–1591) was an Italian sculptor, best known as a medallist and as the pioneer of the coloured wax relief portrait miniature. Antonio Abondio was born in Riva del Garda, he was trained by Leone Leoni and worked in Italy between 1552 and 1565. Thereafter he mainly worked for the Habsburgs, with a few works made for French and Polish kings.
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wikidata · Q599474 · wikipedia · Antonio Abondio
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Work
He travelled to France, Netherlands and Germany. He died in Vienna in 1591. His son Alessandro followed in his father's footsteps, also specializing in mythological and portrait reliefs, and marrying the widow of another court artist, Hans von Aachen.
Thirteen of Abondio's wax portraits survive, usually made on a round black slate base, decorated with tiny pearls and precious stones. He made about sixty portrait medals, with a portrait on the obverse and an allegory on the reverse side, some of them have silver enamelled framing. He also made the dies for the first coinage of Emperor Rudolf II. Initially his style in metal followed that of Leone Leoni, for the facade of whose house in Milan (Casa degli Omenoni) he carved eight large atlantes in stone, but later included many other influences.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1538
Antonio Abondio was born on 1 January 1538.
1591
Antonio Abondio died on 3 May 1591.
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Antonio Abondio was born at Riva del Garda.
Birthplace
Antonio Abondio died at Vienna.
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Cited by Wikipedia
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Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- George Francis Hill: Portrait Medals of Italian Artists of the Renaissance, London 1912, p. 72, 75
- Beket Bukovinská-Eliška Fučíková-Ivan P. Muchka: Die Kunst am Hofe Rudols II. Prag 1991, pp. 151, 155–156, 163.
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reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q599474: Antonio AbondioWikimedia Foundation
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Born at
1- Riva del GardaPlace
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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