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Source Description
This medal was commissioned by Sigismondo Malatesta (1417–68), lord of Rimini and Fano in eastern Italy. It follows the format of portrait medals that became popular by the mid-1400s that imitated Roman imperial coins, with a stern profile of authority on the front and a personal emblem on the back. The likeness is modeled in low relief. Taking advantage of the flexibility of the manufacturing process, the medal was produced with different reverses and inscriptions. His domains were not large, but Sigismondo was an effective general and realized that portrait medals were good as presents for potential allies.This particular medal was discovered in an excavation, and the bronze has corroded from being underground, resulting in a green, somewhat mottled surface. It is inscribed on the front: "SIGISMVNDVS PANDVEVS . MALATESTA . PAN[dulfi] F[ilius]. PONTIFICII . EXER[ ] IMP[ ]" (Sigismondo Malatesta, son of Pandolfo, commander of the papal army); and on the back with the date
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
7337
label
Portrait Medal of Sigismundo Malatesta
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
7337
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Portrait Medal of Sigismundo Malatesta
description
This medal was commissioned by Sigismondo Malatesta (1417–68), lord of Rimini and Fano in eastern Italy. It follows the format of portrait medals that became popular by the mid-1400s that imitated Roman imperial coins, with a stern profile of authority on the front and a personal emblem on the back. The likeness is modeled in low relief. Taking advantage of the flexibility of the manufacturing process, the medal was produced with different reverses and inscriptions. His domains were not large, but Sigismondo was an effective general and realized that portrait medals were good as presents for potential allies.This particular medal was discovered in an excavation, and the bronze has corroded from being underground, resulting in a green, somewhat mottled surface. It is inscribed on the front: "SIGISMVNDVS PANDVEVS . MALATESTA . PAN[dulfi] F[ilius]. PONTIFICII . EXER[ ] IMP[ ]" (Sigismondo Malatesta, son of Pandolfo, commander of the papal army); and on the back with the date
provenance
Deposition at Rimini, 1961. Acquired by Paul Drey Gallery, New York, 1961; purchased by Walters Art Museum, 1962.
date
1446 (Renaissance)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
medals (medallions)
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diam: 3 3/16 in. (8.1 cm)
Source extras
inscriptions
[Inscription] Obverse
around edge: SIGISMVDVS PANVLFVS. MALATESTA PAN. F. PONTIFICI. EXER. IMP; [Inscription] Reverse
bottom edge under figure of Fortitude: M.CCCC.XLVI
med
bronze
creator_ids
6736
collection_ids
REN
exhibition_ids
34
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
09f1cec4f2693c0b
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
3c6f93ef53f68fe3
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no