Jacques Jonghelinck (1530-1606), Jan Walravens as “Master Oomken” (jester), uniface bronze medal, 1563, MAISTRE OOMKEN PRINCE CORONNE DES DOCTEURS A QVATRE ORELLES AET 56, bust right wearing ruff and doublet with sash across chest; across field, IAN WAL RAVENZ – NIET SONDER WIELLE OOM; incised date on truncation, 1563, 101mm (cf. Smolderen 36 (104-108mm in silver); Smolderen (2009) 51; Scher, Currency of Fame, 160), extremely fine old cast (taken from a pierced example, reverse with incuse image) Provenance: John R. Gaines collection.The precise identity of Jan Walravens is uncertain. However, it has been suggested that he was the painter and rhetorician Jan Colyns (he received a commission from the Court of Audit in Brabant) who is known to have been labelled a Prince of Fools or Master Oomken and in 1551 organized an eight day Festival of Fools in Brussels (Roobaert, E., “Jan Walravens alias Oomken, schilder en rederijker te Brussel”, Bulletin, Koninlijke musea voor schone kunsten, 1961, pp. 83-100). The medal itself is the most monumental of Jonghelinck's medallic works.

Estimate: GBP 500 - 700