Domenico Novello Malatesta thumbnail 1
Domenico Novello Malatesta thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Domenico Novello Malatesta

Medal
ca. 1444-1445 (made)
Artist/Maker
Pisanello (medallist)
Place of origin
Verona (made)

This medal representing the portrait bust of Domenico Novello Malatesta (1418-1465), Lord of Cesena and brother of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta.

The House of Malatesta was an Italian family that ruled over Rimini from 1295 until 1500. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417-1468), the brother of the depicted was a noble, soldier and patron. Apart from his numerous political and military activities he made the city of Rimini into an important Renaissance centre for art, science and learning.
He was one of the first to realise the propaganda potential of medal-art and commissioned Pisanello to make some 15 medals.


Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Coins & Medals
Portraits
Sculpture
Object type
Medal
TitleDomenico Novello Malatesta (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bornze
Bronze
Brief description
Medal, bronze, of Domenico Novello Malatesta, by Pisanello, Italy, ca. 1444-1445
Physical description
This medal depicts on the obverse the bust of Malatesta to the left in a furred tunic. Inscription.
On the reverse is Malatesta in full armour kneeling before a wayside crucifix, which he embraces. To the left is his horse, foreshortened from behind, tied to a leafless tree. Inscription.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 8.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'DVX . EQVITVM . PRAESTANS . / MALATESTA NOVELLVS . / CESENAE . DOMINUS' (obverse)
  • 'OPVS . PISANI . PICTORIS' (reverse)
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Tunic
Crucifix
Horse
Tree
Malatesta, Domenico Novello
Summary
This medal representing the portrait bust of Domenico Novello Malatesta (1418-1465), Lord of Cesena and brother of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta.

The House of Malatesta was an Italian family that ruled over Rimini from 1295 until 1500. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417-1468), the brother of the depicted was a noble, soldier and patron. Apart from his numerous political and military activities he made the city of Rimini into an important Renaissance centre for art, science and learning.
He was one of the first to realise the propaganda potential of medal-art and commissioned Pisanello to make some 15 medals.
Bibliographic references
  • Hill, George Francis. A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance, Before Cellini, Volume I, Text. London: British Museum, 1930, no. 359
  • Scher, Stephen K, The Currency of fame: portrait medals of the Renaissance, New York, National Gallery of Art (U.S.), Frick Collection., 1994 pp.50-51
  • '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. 17
  • Syson, Luke and Gordon, Dillian.Pisanello: Painter to the Renaissance Court, London : National Gallery Co., 2001 74
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.168-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313294/domenico-novello-malatesta-medal-pisanello/
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