Leon Battista Alberti thumbnail 1
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 64, The Wolfson Gallery

Leon Battista Alberti

Medal
1446-1450 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Inspired by the coins of ancient Rome, Renaissance medals showed scholars, nobles and churchmen. The represented Alberti was one of the foremost theorists of the day. His many talents included writing, painting, sculpture and architecture. This medal was cast when both artist and sitter were in Rimini working for Sigismondo Malatesta.

Matteo de' Pasti of Verona is first heard of in Venice, where he was working for Piero di Cosimo de' Medici on illustrations of the Triumphs of Petrarch. He settled at Rimini in 1446 and married Lisa Baldegara and rose to honour in the court of Sigismondo Malatesta and aqcuired lands in Rimini in 1451. He made numerous medals of Sigismondo Malatesta.
He was the most accomplished among the immediate followers of Pisanello, although how far he was actually associated with him is a matter of conjecture. His versatility was considerable and his reputation ranged from architect, sculptor, painter and illuminator to medallist.


Object details

Object type
TitleLeon Battista Alberti (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Cast bronze
Brief description
Medal, bronze, Leon Battista Alberti, by Matteo de' Pasti, Italy, 1446-1450
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 9.3cm
  • Depth: 0.4cm
  • Weight: 0.26kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Marks and inscriptions
  • ‘Leon Battista Alberti’ (Inscribed in Latin on the obverse.)
  • ‘Quid tum’ (Reverse with a winged eye within a laurel wreath; signed and inscribed.)
    Translation
    ‘So what?’, ‘What next?’ or ‘What then?’
Credit line
Salting bequest
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Historical context
Leon Battista Alberti was a Florentine architect (1405-1472).
Subjects depicted
Summary
Inspired by the coins of ancient Rome, Renaissance medals showed scholars, nobles and churchmen. The represented Alberti was one of the foremost theorists of the day. His many talents included writing, painting, sculpture and architecture. This medal was cast when both artist and sitter were in Rimini working for Sigismondo Malatesta.

Matteo de' Pasti of Verona is first heard of in Venice, where he was working for Piero di Cosimo de' Medici on illustrations of the Triumphs of Petrarch. He settled at Rimini in 1446 and married Lisa Baldegara and rose to honour in the court of Sigismondo Malatesta and aqcuired lands in Rimini in 1451. He made numerous medals of Sigismondo Malatesta.
He was the most accomplished among the immediate followers of Pisanello, although how far he was actually associated with him is a matter of conjecture. His versatility was considerable and his reputation ranged from architect, sculptor, painter and illuminator to medallist.
Bibliographic references
  • 'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 18
  • Natale, Mauro (ed.), Cosmè Tura e Francesco del Cossa: L'arte a Ferrara nell'età di Borso d'Este, Ferrara : Ferrara arte, 2007 9
  • Rykwert, Joseph and Engel, Anne (eds), Leon Battista Alberti, Ivrea, Italy : Olivetti ; Milano : Electa, 1994 91a
Collection
Accession number
A.172-1910

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Record createdJune 11, 2009
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