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

ANTONIO
NOVELLVS • I • CESENAE • DO MINVS • Bust 1.,
with short curly hair, wearing fur-trimmed dress.
Rev. • OPVS • PISANI • PICTORIS • Malatesta,
in full armour, visor closed, sword at side, kneel-
ing r., clasping the feet of a crucifix; the Christ
bends his head; on 1., Malatesta’s charger seen
from behind, fastened to leafless tree; rocky
rising ground on r. (with leafless tree) and 1.
Arm. I, 6,16(85 mm-)- Heiss, Pis., p. 22, no. 15, Pl. vi, 11.
Hill, Pis., pp. 166 f., Pl. 48. Hab., Pl. vi, 2. [e. Pl. 7.]
(a) Berlin, 84-5 mm. Simon, no. 97. (Z>) Brescia (Tosio),
86 mm. Rizz., no. 14. Good, (c) Florence, 85 mm.
Sup., no. 10, Pl. iv. Good. (</) London, lead, pres, by
Mr. W. C. Heald, f 86mm. Keary, no. 5. (e) Another,
lead, f 85 mm., bequ. by Lady Stern. Guide Ren. Med.,
p. 11, fig. 5. (/) London, V. A. M., 4577-1857, f 85 mm.
Hill, loc.cit. (£•) Another (Salting), f 86 mm. (A) Naples,
lead, 84 mm., with loop. Rin., no. 7. (/) Paris, Mus.
Jacquemart-Andre, 85 mm. Rev. only. (/) Paris, Lou-
vre, 85 mm. Cat. 1904, no. 449. (£) Venice, Correr.
Cat., no. 16. Litta, Malat., no. 1.
Probably made c. 1445. May refer to a vow to found the
Hospital of the Holy Crucifix, made at the battle of Mon-
tolmo in 1444, although the vow was not fulfilled until some
years later, in 1452 (Ricci, Tempio Malatestiano, p. 37).
GONZAGA (Lodovico III), Marquess of
Mantua.
36. Obv. • LVDOVI CVS • DE • I • GONZ AGA
(rosette) in two lines across field; above, • CAPI
TANEVS • ARMIGERORVM •; below • MARCHIO •
MANTVE • ET • CET Bust 1., with close-
cropped hair, wearing plate-armour over shirt
of mail; on the shoulder plate, impressed
armourer’s mark, A A crowned.
Rev. • opvs • Pisani | • picto|ris in 1. field.
The Marquess in full armour, visor closed,
globular crest, riding r. on horseback, resting
baton on r. knee; in field above, on 1., radiant
sun, on r. sun-flower on stalk; stony plain.
Arm. I, 5, 13 (105 mm.). Litta, Gonz., no. 5. Heiss, Pis.,
p. 25, no. 17, Pl. vii, 1. Hill, Pis., p. 171, Pl. 51. Hab.,
Pl. vii, 1. [d. Pl. 7.]
(a) Berlin, 100 mm. Friedl., p. 38, no. 20, Pl. vi. (6) Bres-
cia (Martinengo), 102 mm. Rizz., no. 10. (c) Florence,
101 mm. Sup., no. 8, Pl. ii. Fair, (d) London, lead,
\ 103 mm., pres, by Mr. W. C. Heald. Keary, no. 13.
Hill, loc. cit. S.I.M., Pl. 6. (e) London, V. A. M.
(Salting), \ 102 mm. (/) Another, 7137-1860, 101 mm.,
rev. only. Doubtful, (g) Paris, Louvre, obv. only,
lead, 108 mm. Cat. 1904, no. 448. (A) C. S. Gulbenkian,
\ 102 mm., ex Borghese and Goldschmidt-Przibram,
lot 70. Good.
Probably 1447 or 1448, when Lodovico was Capitano
generale of the Florentine troops. For the armourer’s
mark, see above, on no. 22.
GONZAGA (Cecilia), daughter of Gian-
francesco I.
37. Obv. CICILIA • VIRGO • FILIA • IOHANNIS •
FRANCISC1 • PRIMI • MARCHIONIS • MANTVE Bust

PISANO 36-4O
Rev. Rocky landscape, lit by crescent moon;
female semi-nude figure (Innocence) seated 1.,
with 1. hand placed on head of a he-goat-unicorn
which lies 1.; on r. a square column (surmounted
by ornament) inscribed OPVS | pisan|i • PICT|ORIS • |
• M • | CCCCjXLVlI
Arm. I, 5,12 (88 mm.). Heiss, Pis., p. 26, no. 18, Pl. vii, 2.
Hill, Pis., pp. 173 f. Hab., Pl. vii. 2.
[Obv. a, rev. h. Pl. 8.]
(«) Berlin, 88 mm. Friedl., p. 37, no. 19, Pl. v. (Z>) An-
other, 84 mm. Simon, no. 94. (c) Brescia (Brozzoni),
83 mm. Rizz., no. 9. (d) London, V. A. M., 7131-
1860, f 85 mm. Poor, (e) Milan, Ambrosiana, 88 mm.,
lead. (/) Milan, Med. Mun., f 87 mm. Litta, Gonz.,
no. 75- (£■) Another (Brera), f 87 mm. (pi) Paris,
87 mm. J. Babeion, La Medaille, Pl. vi, 4.
A specimen in the Piot sale (1890), lot 623, lead, rev.
only, is described as measuring 104 mm.
The he-goat symbolizes knowledge, the unicorn, which
could only be tamed by a virgin, innocence.
FELTRE (Vittorino Rambaldoni da), hu-
manist.
38. Obv. • VICTORINVS • FELT RENSIS • SVMMVS
Bust 1., wearing tall cap with edge turned up,
and close-fitting gown.
Rev. MATHEMATICVS • ET • OMNIS • HVMA
NITATIS • PATER (flower on stalk) and, in inner
circle, PISANI (rosette) PICTO* RIS*OPVS« Pelican
in her piety.
Arm. I, 8, 24(67 mm.). Heiss,Pis., p. 27, no. 19, Pl. viii, 1.
Hill, Pis., p. 176, Pl. 54. Hab., Pl. xi, 1. [^. Pl. 8.]
(a) Berlin, 67 mm. Friedl., p. 31, no. 4, Pl. iii. Hill, loc.
cit. (b) Another, 66 mm. Simon, no. 89. (c) Flo-
rence, 66 mm. Tres. de Num. II, ii, 1. Sup., no. 18,
Pl. ix. Fair, (d) London, Parkes Weber gift. Lead,
f 67 mm. Burl. Mag., x (1907), p. 384. (e) Milan, Med.
Mun., f 65 mm. Chased. (/) Naples, 64 mm. Rin.,
no. 4. (_§•) Gulbenkian, f 66 mm. ex Montenuovo,
Gavet and Goldschmidt-Przibram, lot 66. Very fine.
Probably made soon before or after the death of Vittorino
(2 Feb. 1446). The reverse expresses his devotion to his
pupils.
CUMANO (Belloto), scholar.
39. Obv. ‘BELLOTVS* ’CVMANVS* Bustofyouth
1., hair in zazzera, wearing cap with fluted crown
and edge turned up all round ; pleated robe.
Rev. OPVS♦PISANI#PICTORIS* An ermine
or weasel {bellotuld) moving 1. through under-
growth ; above, • M • | CCCC|XLVII.
Arm. 1,2, 2 (59 mm.). Tres. de Num. II, ii. 2 (not at Vienna
now, if ever). Heiss, Pis., p. 28, no. 20, Pl. viii, 2. Hill, Pis.,
p. 177, Pl. 55. Hab., Pl. viii, 2. [a. PL 8.]
(a) Berlin, 58 mm. Hill, loc. cit. (Z>) Milan (Brera),
f 59-5 mm., old lead, (c) Another (Med. Mun.), f 58 mm.,
contemporary ? (d) Parma, f 56-5 mm.
The ermine is a symbol of purity.
DECEMBRIO (Pier Candido), humanist
and statesman.
40. Obv. »P» CANDID VS* STVD1ORVM • HVM

II

1. to half-figure, hair taken up and fastened
with riband, dress with loose falling sleeves.