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Preview image of work. bronze,  Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417–1468) 6235
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1966.104.1.a

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Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417–1468)

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Artist

Matteo di Andrea de' Pasti (ca. 1420 - 1467/1468)

Title

Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417–1468)

Creation Date

1450

Century

mid-15th century

Dimensions

1 9/16 in. (4 cm.)

Classification

Medals/Plaquettes

Creation Place

Europe, Italy

Medium and Support

bronze

Credit Line

Gift of Amanda Marchesa Molinari

Copyright

Public Domain

Accession Number

1966.104.1.a

In 1447, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, began rebuilding the church of San Francesco into the newly named Tempio Malatestiano, which this medal memorializes on the reverse. According to a common practice in Renaissance Italy, builders placed specimens of this medal in the new foundations of the Temple during its reconstruction. Because bronze (copper and tin) is the predominant metal in this example, the surface quality is well preserved and the details on the sitter’s hair and collar still resemble the original design by Matteo de’Pasti. The bronze (copper and tin) composition is very similar to an identical foundation medal at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The similarity in metallic makeup not only confirms its fifteenth-century dating, but also presents the possibility that this model is from the same casting that was being used by the builders at Rimini.

Object Description

6 SIGISMONDO PANDOLFO MALATESTA 1450

Obv. Bust to left, laureate. Around, . SIGISMVNDVS PANDVLFVS MALATESTA . PAN . F . (English translation: "Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, son of Pandolfo" - as per Kress, Vol. 1,pg. 37)
Rev. View of facade of San Francesco, Rimini, based on Alberti's proposed reconstruction. Around, PRAECL . ARIMINI . TEMPLVM . AN . GRATIAE . V . F . M . CCCC . L . (English translation: "in the year of Grace 1450 in Rimini he dedicated this noble temple" -
as per Kress, Vol. 1,pg. 37)

Bronze, 40 mm.

Specimens of this, the foundation medal of the Tempio Malatestiano, have been excavated in the walls of the castle at Rimini. Hill says this medal is after Pasti's model, but that he was not responsible for the casting. The church was dedicated in 1450 but never finished.

Bibl.: Corpus, no. 183 (as after Matteo de' Pasti); Arm. I, p. 21,17; Rosati, no. 31; Kress, no. 66 (as after Pasti) ; Morgenroth, no. 28; Habich, pl. 14, 2; Calabi and Cornaggia, no. 15, p. 44 (as anonymous Riminese artist); Naples, pp. 16-17; Supino, no. 33; Brescia i, p. 5, nos. 40-41 ; MM. I, p. 81, pl. 14,1 ; Tresor ltal. 2, pl. 3,4; Muenzen und Medaillen, Basel (auction catalog), 17, 2 December 1957, lot 88 (excavated specimen); C. Ricci, II Tempio Malatestiano, Milan/Rome 1924, chapter 10; C. Brandi, II Tempio Malatestiano, Turin 1956, pp. 14—20 (facade)

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