Hill, George Francis: A corpus of Italian medals of the Renaissance before Cellini: in 2 volumes (Volume 1): Text (London: British Museum, 1930)

PART I

31-5
69 mm. Tres. de Num. II, i, 3 [N. B. the obv. illustr. in
Tresor does not belong to this but to Pl. i, 4. Fried-
lander, p. 35, note on no. 13, should have given another
example if one exists].
31. Obv. Same as no. 30 but floral instead of
scale-ornament.
Rev. Same as no. 30.
Heraeus, Pl. 51, 3. [a. Pl. 6.]
(«) Milan, Med. Mun., f 69 mm. (6) Formerly Lanna,
no. 5, Pl. 3, 69 mm.
All the above medals of Leonello (24-31) may be regarded
as not certainly from the hand of Pisanello. The treatment
of the relief and the feeling of the portrait (amounting in
some cases almost to caricature) seem foreign to the master.
But they cannot be much later than his time, if indeed they
are not contemporary.
32. Obv. LEONELLVS • MARCHIO | • ESTE NS1S •
in two lines across field; above, • GE•R • AR •;
below, • D • FERRARIE • REGII • ET • MVTINE •
Bust 1., with short curly hair, wearing rich
brocaded dress.
Rev. • OPVS • I PISANI • I PICTORIS • above;
on rocky ground, a lion standing r., singing
from scroll of music held by nude Cupid 1.; in
background, tall square pillar on which a mast
with inflated sail and • M • | CCCC I XLIIII; in 1.
background, on rocky hill, eagle seen from
behind perched on leafless tree.
Arm. I, 3, 8 (101 mm.). Heiss, Pis., p. 19, no. 11, PI. iv, 2.
Hill, Pis., pp. 148 f., Pl. 39. Hab., Pl. iii, 1. [f. Pl. 6.]
(a) Berlin, lead, 103 mm. Friedl., p. 34, no. 12, Pl. iv.
Hill, loc. cit. (b) Florence, lead, 100 mm. Sup., no. 5.
Old. (c) London (ex Bank of England), f 101 mm.
Keary, no. 6. S. I. M., Pl. 5. Guide Ren. Med., p. 10,
fig- 3- GO Also lead, rev. only, 100 mm., pres, by Mr.
W. E. Heald, (e) London, V. A. M. (Salting), f 102 mm.
(/) Milan, Med. Mun., f 101 mm. Fine, (g) Naples,
101 mm. Rin., no. 3. (A) Paris (Valton), f 101 mm.
Lead. (z) Formerly Ferrara. Agnelli e Giustiniani,
Mus. di Schifanoja, p. 66.
This commemorates the marriage of Leonello (represented
by the lion) with Maria of Aragon (April 1444); Leonello
is called Ge(ner) R(egis) Ar(agonum). The eagle probably
is the eagle of the Este arms. Musical pomps were a leading
feature of the marriage ceremony.
For a small medal (reverse, vase) with a
forged signature ‘ Pisanus F ’, see below, under
Nicholaus, no. 76.
M ALATESTA (Sigismondo Pandolfo),
Lord of Rimini.
33. Obv. *S1GISMVNDVS • PANDVLFVS • DE • MA
LATEST1S • ARIMINI • FANI«D Bust r., wearing
over shirt of mail a surcoat embroidered with
heraldic four-petalled Malatesta roses.
Rev. OPVS • PISANI • PICTORIS Sigismondo
standing to front, head r., in full armour of
plate over shirt of mail, with visor closed;
holds sheathed sword in both hands; on 1., on
[10]

heraldic rose-tree, with long serrated leaves,
his casque, crowned, and elephant’s head crest;
on r., on similar tree, heater-shaped shield of
his arms (the si monogram and the cheeky
bends quartered, within bordure dentely).
Arm. I, 5, 15 (90 mm.). Heiss, Pis., p. 21, no. 14, Pl. v,
2. Hill, Pis., pp. 162 f., Pl. 46. Hab., Pl. iv, 1. [f. Pl. 6.]
(a) Berlin, 90 mm. Friedl., p. 32, no. 6. (b, c) Brescia (Broz-
zoni),9o,9imm. Rizz., nos. 12,13. (d) Ferrara, 90 mm.
(e) Florence, 90 mm. Litta, Malat., no. 3. Sup., no. 9,
Pl. iii. Fair. (/) London,lead, 190-5mm. Keary,no.4.
Hill, loc. cit. S. I. M., Pl. 5. Guide Ren. Med., p. 11, fig. 4.
(£•) Milan (Brera), f 90 mm., old lead, not fine. (/z) Ox-
ford, Ashmolean Mus., 90 mm. (z) Paris, Musee de
Cluny 7522, lead, f 90 mm., ex Potocki (1863).
Probably made c. 1445, in which year Sigismondo relieved
the besieged city of Fano and recovered the territory (Ricci,
Tempio Malatestiano, p. 36). The obverse was copied by
Roville, Prompiuaire des Medailles (1553), ii, p. 207. An
after-cast of this obverse is found combined with one of
Pasti’s portrait of Isotta Atti, with a false signature of Pisa-
nello added. See Arm. 1,13, a and 22, 22 note; Hill, p. 164.
Paolo Giovio (see p. 13) mentions among Pisanello’s works
a medal representing Sigismondo and Isotta; he may have
known a specimen of this forgery, or confused Pisanello and
Pasti.
34. Obv. *S1GISMVNDVS • DE • MALATESTIS •
ARIMINI • 7E • T • RO MANE • EELLESIE • EAPI
TANEVS I GENERALIS Bust r., wearing plate
armour over shirt of mail; on shoulder-piece,
four-petalled Malatesta rose; hair in heavy
zazzera.
Rev. OPVS PISANI PICTORIS in three sunken
strips below. Sigismondo, in full armour (plumed
helmet) on charger to 1., raising r. hand with
baton; in background, with hills on either side,
a fortress; on the keep • M • CCCC • | • XLV •;
on another tower, heater-shaped shield of arms
(as on preceding medal), surmounted by Mala-
testa rose with two leaves; linear border to
upper part of design.
Arm. I, 5, 14 (105 mm.). Litta, Malat., no. 2. Heiss, Pis.,
p. 21, no. 13, PI. v, 1. Hill, Pis., pp. 165 f., Pl. 47. Hab.,
Pl- v, 1. te. Pl. 7.]
(a) Berlin, 105 mm. Friedl., pp. 32, 211, no. 5, Pl. iii.
Hill, loc. cit. (6) Another, Simon, no. 96, 100 mm.
Good, (c) Brescia (Brozzoni), 101 mm. Mazz. I, xv, 1.
Rizz., no. 11. (d) Glasgow, Hunterian Mus., 102 mm.
(e) London, lead, f 101-5 mm., ex R. C. Fisher (1921), lot
30, ex Rossi (1883), lot 200. (/) London, V. A. M. (Salt-
ing), f 102 mm. (^) C. S. Gulbenkian, f 102-5 mm., ex
Montenuovo, Gavet and Goldschmidt-Przibram, lot 68.
Fine. (A) The Montenuovo-Lobbecke specimen (1908,
lot 2, Pl. i), 106 mm. (a misprint for 100?), is said to be
of doubtful authenticity.
Sigismondo wras made Captain General by the Pope in
1445. The type of the reverse may refer to the capture ot
Rocca Contrada (Arcevia) in that year.
MALATESTA (Domenico Novello), Lord
of Cesena.
35. Obv. • DVX • EQVITVM • PRAESTANS • above,
and, across field in two lines, • malatesta