Around 1740 the medallist Anton Francesco Selvi (1679-1753) made a series of seventy-six retrospective portraits of the Medici. On the reverse side for the portrait of Alessandro Ottaviano (1535-1605) he used the rhinoceros, a symbol of invincibility that Alessandro had used on his breastplate armour. Above is Giovio’s motto which loosely translates as ‘I will not return without victory’. 84 mm in width.
