- Personage:
-
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, “Signore” of Rimini since 1432, born in 1417 in Brescia and died in 1467.
- Artist:
-
Antonio Pisano (known as Pisanello)
—
Painter and Sculptor, 1395-1455.
He was born in Pisa, worked in Rimini, Venice, Naples, Ferrara and Mantova. Pisanello is considered ‘The Creator’ of the Renaissance medals.
- Description:
-
Obverse: · SIGISMVNDVS · PANDVLFVS · DE · MALATESTIS · ARIMINI · FANI · D · Bust facing to the right, wearing over shirt of mail and a surcoat embroidered with Malatesta’s roses.
Reverse: · OPVS · PISANI · PICTORIS · Sigismondo standing to front, in full armour, with visor closed, holds sheathed sword in both hands. On the left, a rose tree presents his casque crowned with elephant head crest; on the right, a similar rose tree presents his shield of arms displaying “S.I.” monograms, the initials of Sigismondo and Isotta.
- Background:
-
Cast in 1445 in Rimini, when Pisanello was guest of Malatesta. In this year Sigismondo relieved the besieged city of Fano and recovered the territory.
- Diameter:
- 84.7 mm. (Max. Diameter reported: 90 mm.). Bronze cast.
- Evaluation:
- Good quality with slight wear. Likely original cast.
- Reference:
- Hill 33; Armand I, 5, 15; Pollard 12 = Kress 12; Cordellier 278; Syson/Gordon 19, p. 64, fig. 2.19.