Medal of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta/Rimini Castle
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1446
This cast bronze portrait medal features Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417–1468), Lord of Rimini. Designed and made by Matteo de' Pasti, it was dated 1446 and made between 1449 and 1451, possibly in Verona, Italy. The circular medal measures 8.0 cm in diameter and weighs 0.18 kg.
The obverse depicts a left-facing bust of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta dressed in plate armour over mail. It carries the surrounding legend 'SIGISMVNDVS PANDVLFVS MALATESTA PAN[dulfi] F[ilius]', translating to 'Sigismundo Pandolfo Malatesta, son of Pandolfo'. The reverse depicts the castle of Rimini alongside the inscription 'CASTELLVM SISMVNDVM ARIMINENSE MCCCCXLVI', meaning 'Castle Sigismundo at Rimini. 1446'. This reverse design represents the earliest known depiction of architecture on a Renaissance portrait medal.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta was a condottiere who ruled Rimini, Fano, and Cesena. A patron of the arts and sciences influenced by the Humanist court in Ferrara, he utilized portrait medals as propaganda. The date 1446 inscribed on the reverse commemorates the ceremonial inauguration of his new castle at Rimini. Medals by Matteo de' Pasti bearing this design were cast in considerable quantities, and many were deposited as foundation deposits within the fabric of Sigismondo's architectural projects, including the castle itself.
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Medal of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta/Rimini Castle
- Museum object number
- A.173-1910
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.