Gifts of Grandeur: Portrait medal of Isotta degli Atti, 1453-1455

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Portrait Medal of Isotta degli Atti
Italy, 1453-1455
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This is interesting. This cast bronze object, dating to 1453-1455, is an early example of a Renaissance portrait medal. The piece was commissioned to commemorate an Italian beauty called Isotta degli Atti who was celebrated for her incredible gorgeousness. Isotta was the mistress, and, later the third wife of the theatrically named Sigismondo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini.

The obverse depicts a portrait profile of Isotta while the reverse shows an elephant. This may seem to be an odd choice, but when considered in heraldic terms, the elephant was a fitting symbol of the Malatesta family which was meant to convey their strength and power. In this case, it’s an especially fitting choice as it is a definitive link between Isotta and the Malatesta family—created during a time when the woman was still the aristocrats mistress and not his wife. It was a daring proclamation indeed. 

Though the medal was made later, it is inscribed with the date 1446. What’s the significance? 1446 was the year that Isotta became the Lord of Rimini’s mistress as well as the year that she began to encourage him to consolidate his political power.

What was the medal for? Well, it was a way for Lord Rimini to proclaim to the world that this woman—an object of desire for many—was his. Isotta yearned for fame—and this was it. And, to ensure her enduring fame and to forever preserve his conquest, Malatesta had copies of these medals buried within the walls and foundations of the many, many buildings which he commissioned—following the classical Roman tradition of doing such self-conscious things. I’m glad he did. Because of it, many examples of such medals survive to this day, having been uncovered over centuries of remodeling.

According to my pals at the V&A, this design was created by the Veronese medalist Matteo de'Pasti. It’s probable that this was actually meant to be part of a pair of medals—one showing Malatesta and one depicting his mistress. Example of a medal of Malatesta have been found and seem to be by the same artist. The reverse of those shows the palace that he called home.