The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 24, 2025
Seal of Doge Michele Steno
1400–1409
Diameter: 4.8 cm (1 7/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1985.198
Location: 110A Italian Gothic
Description
This opulent seal, an example of the splendor surrounding the ruler of Venice, was once attached to a charter issued in 1409. Seals were molded or embossed and attached to official documents as evidence of authenticity. This example is thought to be one of the finest Venetian seals to be preserved.- Fredericus Spatafora, Venetian consul in Messina, Sicily; his descendants until sold at Sotheby's, New York, 23 November 1984, lot 12; (Alex Wengraf, Ltd., London).
- Winter, Patrick M. de. “Recent Accessions of Italian Renaissance Decorative Arts, Part I: Incorporating Notes on the Sculptor Severo Da Ravenna.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 73, no. 3 (March 1986): 74–138. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 74-75, fig. 11, 14 www.jstor.org
- The Year in Review for 1985. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 12-April 20, 1986).
- {{cite web|title=Seal of Doge Michele Steno |url=false|author=|year=1400–1409|access-date=24 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.198