Alfons the Magnanimous's stay in Naples following the conquest of the city made itself felt in artistic tastes. The king became an active patron of the arts. Amongst the main artists working for the king was Il Pisanello, who was responsible for one of the first Italian medals, and Paolo de Ragusa, who arrived in Naples in 1451 and who cast this medal. The item's iconography speaks clearly for the search for models in Classical Antiquity. Furthermore, from writings of the time, we know that Alfons collected coins, possibly ancient ones.