Italian Renaissance Medal - Isotta degli Atti by Matteo de' Pasti

Iosephus

Isotta degli Atti / Elephant in a Meadow

Work of Matteo de' Pasti, c. 1453/1455.

Bronze, 85.3 mm Ø, 264.5 g

Obverse: Bust of Isotta degli Atti facing right, with hair over high frame, held by crossing bands, fastened with jewel on top, and falling in two tresses behind. Around, · D · ISOTTAE · / · ARIMINENSI · (The Lady Isotta of Rimini).

Reverse: An elephant in a flowery meadow. Below, M · CCCC · XLVI (1446) with floral stops in the shape of the Malatesta rose.

Isotta degli Atti (c. 1432/1433 - 1474) was born in Rimini, the daughter of Francesco degli Atti, a wealthy wool trader and banker. She became the mistress of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, about 1446 after he noticed her while a guest of Francesco during restoration of his residence. They had a son, Giovanni, in 1447, though he lived only a few months. After the death of Sigismondo's second wife in 1449, he would take an unusual step and marry his mistress about 1455/1456. Isotta would become Sigismondo's heir, and after his death she would briefly rule Rimini with his son Sallustio.

The date of 1446 on the reverse of the medal, which appears on other medals commissioned by Sigismondo, does not refer to when the medal was created. Rather, it is an important year for Sigismondo, being the year when he defeated Francesco Sforza at Gradara, the ceremonial inauguration of Castel Sismondo was held, and he began his affair with Isotta. As with other medals Sigismondo had made, medals of Isotta were placed for posterity in the foundations of building projects.

Isotta was only the second woman to be commemorated on a medal during the Renaissance. The imagery of the ponderous pachyderm on the reverse provides an interesting pairing with the portrait of the young lady on the obverse. The elephant was an emblem of the Malatesta family, representing regal strength and fame that confers immortality. Relating to the subject of the medal, Isotta, elephants were associated in classical times with intelligence, piety, and prudence. It has also been suggested that the elephant reverse on this medal is meant to symbolize Isotta's share in Malatesta fame and power.

References: Hill 1930, no. 187; Pollard 2007, nos. 33-34; Scher 1994, no. 13

EVillageProwler

Interesting medal. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the write up. Too bad it’s been pierced, though this does beg the question of the medal being too heavy to be worn — assuming the piercing is for a chain.

STLNATS

WOW. Absolutely breathtaking (a word I almost never use). I've always considered that medal to be one of the "holy grails" of the period's medals and yours is in what appears to be exceptionally fine execution and condition as well. Just lovely and one that makes me once again question my choices of areas to collect. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

EVillageProwler

"Bronze, 85.3 mm Ø, 264.5 g"

What does the "Ø" mean in the above context? I am guessing diameter, but that is just a guess based on what I mean when I say one of my coin is, e.g., "42mm, 28g". Given the size of the medal (~9x the weight of a typical Crown), I can see being able to arrange 4 typical Crowns in a cross-shaped pattern and it being about the same diameter along the X and Y axes. Of course, there is also the matter of the thickness but that is a different issue...

Iosephus

@EVillageProwler said:
"Bronze, 85.3 mm Ø, 264.5 g"

What does the "Ø" mean in the above context? I am guessing diameter, but that is just a guess based on what I mean when I say one of my coin is, e.g., "42mm, 28g".

Yes, that is the diameter.

@EVillageProwler said:
Too bad it’s been pierced, though this does beg the question of the medal being too heavy to be worn — assuming the piercing is for a chain.

Although some smaller medals were no doubt worn, large medals like this are, as you point out, likely too heavy to be worn. Rather, it seems that medals were pierced so that they could be mounted in some way for display. There's actually an article by Luke Syson titled "Holes and Loops: The Display and Collection of Medals in Renaissance Italy" (Journal of Design History, 15(4):229-244) which discusses this. The practice seemed more prevalent in the 15th/16th centuries and to decline after that, and to be more common on non-Papal medals.

Looking through my small collection, these observations actually hold for my small sample size. Italian non-Papal medals of the 15th/16th century: 13/32 pierced (41%)
Italian non-Papal medals of the 17th/18th century: 4/18 pierced (22%)
Papal medals of the 15th/16th century: 1/18 (6%) [+ 1 with attached loop]
Papal medals of the 17th/18th century: 0/21 (0%)
Large cast French medals of the 17th century: 5/7 (71%)
German medals of the 16th century: 1/4 (25%) [+ 1 with attached loop]

So, I've gotten used to the idea of older medals being pierced. Even my heaviest medal (made of lead and weighing over 500 g) is pierced. In some sense, though it's not really proof, the piercing might give some indication that the medal was of the period and actually "used", rather than being a later cast (aftercast) made simply to be placed in a collection cabinet.

Iosephus

@STLNATS said:
Just lovely and one that makes me once again question my choices of areas to collect.

That's exactly how I broadened from Papal to general medals of the period (with Italian Renaissance being the prime focus). While looking for information on Papal medals I came across the beautiful Italian Renaissance medals, and just eventually could not resist. Now, I must admit that in general (especially with the struck pieces), I see the other Italian pieces as superior. My acquisitions lately have been much more non-Papal than Papal pieces. It's always fun discovering what else is out there!

AntonDee

Very nice Joe. Thanks

AntonDee

Another work by Matteo de’ Pasti

Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, “Signore” of Rimini since 1432. Born in 1417, died in 1467.
Artist Matteo de’ Pasti — Medallist, Sculptor, Painter. Verona, 1405-1467. Matteo de’ Pasti lived mainly at the court of the Malatesta in Rimini.

Description
Obverse: · SIGISMVNDVS · PANDVLVVS · DE · MALATESTIS · S · RO · ECLESIE · C · GENERALIS ·
Bust to the left wearing cuirass and surcoat.

Reverse: Female figure (symbolizing Fortitude), wearing cuirass and long tunic, seated facing out
in a meadow on a seat, the sides of which are formed by foreparts of elephants; holding in both hands
a broken column. Below · M · CCCC · XLVI.

Background Cast in 1446, one of many made during the artist’s permanence with the Malatesta.

Diameter 79.2 mm. Bronze cast.

Reference Hill 178.