Isotta degli Atti by Matteo de' Pasti, c. 1456-60 Bronze, 41.2 mm Ø, 33.3 g Obverse: Bust of Isotta degli Atti facing right, hair over high frame, confined by a crossing band fastened on top with jewel, and falling in two pointed masses behind. Around, · D · ISOTTAE · / · ARIMINENSI · . Reverse: A closed book. Around, E L E G I A E · . Inscriptions: DOMINAE ISOTTAE ARIMINENSI To the Lady Isotta of Rimini ELEGIAE Elegies Isotta degli Atti (c. 1432 - 1474) was born in Rimini, the daughter of Francesco degli Atti, a wealthy wool trader and banker. She became the mistress of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, after he noticed her while a guest of Francesco during restoration of his residence. They had a son, Giovanni, in 1447, though he lived only a few months. Their relationship became public in 1449, after the death of Sigismondo's second wife, and they married in 1456. The reverse design of the medal, illustrating a book, refers to the three volumes of thirty elegies commissioned by Sigismondo in 1449-1451. The epic poem, Liber Isottaeus, was written by the Italian humanist Basinio Basini of Parma, who had moved to the Malatesta court in 1449. The dating of the medal is based upon the finding of several similar medals (with a slightly different obverse design) in building foundations. Five specimens were found in the wall of the Rocca Malatestiana (Malatestian Fortress) at Fano in a portion of the building datable to 1454. Two other specimens were found nearby in Senigallia in an area that was part of Sigismondo's refortification of the town in 1459. References: Hill (Corpus) 188; Pollard (NGA) 35; Vannel & Toderi (Bargello) 87-90; Börner 65 Giovanni Toscani by Lysippus the Younger, before 1477 Bronze, 42.5 mm Ø, 39.8 g Obverse: Bust of Giovanni Toscani facing left, wearing round cap and close fitting gown. Around, IOANNES ALOISIVS · TVSCA · AVDITOR · CAM . Reverse: Neptune, nude, with mantle arched overhead, holding trident in his right hand and dolphin in his left, facing front and standing in a sea-car drawn by two seahorses. Within the waves, beneath the seahorses, the heads of two dolphins. Around, VICTA IAM NVRSIA FATIS AGITVR , with two leaves on stalk dividing the beginning and end of the inscription. Inscriptions: IOANNES ALOISIUS TUSCANUS AUDITOR CAMERAE . Giovanni Alvise Toscani, Auditor of the Chamber VICTA IAM NURSIA FATIS AGITUR Norcia Already Conquered, Destiny is Pressing Born in Milan, Giovanni Alvise Toscani (c. 1450 - 1478) was a jurisconsult, orator, and poet. Beginning his career in Milan under Duke Francesco Sforza, he went to Rome in 1468 and found favor under Pope Sixtus IV. Under the pope, he becaome consistorial advocate (about 1473) and auditor general (1477). It has been supposed that Toscani was a close friend of Lysippus, based on the six medals of him attributed to the artist. As referred to by the obverse inscription, Toscani was one of the twelve auditors (judges in the Curia) newly organized by the pope. It is not known with certainty to what the reverse design and inscription refers. In 1474, Sixtus IV had recaptured papal territories near Norcia in Umbria and could return his focus to a crusade against the Turks. Toscani had written a poem, "In Turcos", and Pollard suggests that the reverse might allude to the renewed campaign for ships. References: Hill (Corpus) 811; Pollard (NGA) 251; Vannel & Toderi (Bargello) 244-245; Börner 308 Jacopo Sannazaro by Girolamo Santacroce, c. 1523-1524 Bronze, 35.9 mm Ø, 21.5 g Obverse: Bust of Jacopo Sannazaro facing left, laureate, with long hair. Around, ACTIVS / SYNCERVS . Reverse: Nativity scene. Jacopo Sannazaro (1458 - 1530) was an Italian poet and humanist from Naples. The name on the obverse, Actius Syncerus, was the classicized name that he took as his pseudonym. The reverse design refers to his sacred epic poem De partu Virginis. Originally written in 1513, it was extensively rewritten in 1519-21, and was published in 1526. Written in Latin, the work is a mixture of the language of classical mythology with the Gospel story, and gained for Sannazaro the name of the "Christian Virgil". This medal is mentioned in a letter of March 20, 1524 by Pietro Summonte to Marcantonio Michiel, leading Hill to note that it was produced some time before March of 1524, perhaps in the previous year. Toderi & Vannel note that the medal was commissioned by Isabella d'Este. References: Hill (Corpus) 350; Toderi & Vannel (XVI Secolo) 2641; Vannel & Toderi (Bargello) 1425-1434; Börner 115 Giovanni Battista Castaldo by Annibale Fontana, c. 1562 Bronze, 45.2 mm Ø, 30.2 g Obverse: Bust of Giovanni Castaldo facing left, bearded, wearing an ornamented cuirass with straps, and a sash. Around, IO · BA · CAS · CAR · V · CAES · FER · RO · REG · ET · BOE · RE · EXERGIT · DVX . Reverse: In center, Castaldo, wearing a cuirass and tunic, offering a sceptre to a draped woman. To the right, a male figure, wearing a tunic and sash. To the left, behind, a Turk wearing a Turban. Around, CAPTIS / SVBAC · FVSISQ · REG · NAVAR · DACIÆ · ET · OLIM · PERSA · TVRC DVCE . Inscriptions: IOANNES BAPTISTA CASTALDUS CAROLI V CAESARIS FERDINANDI ROMANORUM REGIS ET BOEMIAE REGIS EXERCITUS DUX Giovanni Battista Castaldo, General of the Army of Emperor Charles V and of Ferdinand, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia CAPTIS SUBACTIS FUSISQUE REGIBUS NAVARAE DACIÆ ET OLIM PERSARUM TVRCARUM DUCE The Kingdoms of Navarre and Dacia, Formerly Lost to the Lord of the Turks, Taken Prisoner, Subjugated, and Defeated The attribution of this unsigned medal to Annibale Fontana is based on other medals of Castaldo which closely resemble this piece and are signed ANIB . However, there is uncertainty as to whether this signature does in fact belong to Annibale Fontana or to some other artist also named Annibale and working during an earlier period. Attwood suggests that they are separate, and dates this medal to c. 1552. Pollard and Toderi & Vannel attribute the medal to Fontana, and since he was born only in 1540, date it to c. 1562, coinciding with a 1562 peace treaty with Turkey. Giovanni Battista Castaldo (1493 - after 1565), count of Piadena and Cassano, was a general under Emperor Charles V and fought in various battles against both the French and the Turks. Pollard identifies this medal as commemorating Charles's campaign, on behalf of Ferdinand of Austria, in the long wars against the Ottoman Empire. Castaldo was in charge of the Hungarian operations in 1550, and in 1551 he took the Turkish stronghold of Lippa. A general peace with Turkey was arrived at in 1562, and Austria was required to pay tribute to the sultan for territories in Hungary. On the reverse of the medal, Castaldo is featured in the center, in the guise of a Roman general, receiving the suppliant figure of Hungary. Behind her is the Turkish leader, and on the right is a Transylvanian chieftain. References: Attwood (Italian Medals) 105; Pollard (NGA) 510; Toderi & Vannel (XVI Secolo) 147; Börner 782 Jean, Marquis d'Espinay by Anteo Lotello, 1578 Bronze, 46.9 mm Ø, 26.3 g Obverse: Bust of Jean d'Espinay facing left, wearing ruff, curiass ornamented with lion's head on left shoulder, and a collar with medal of the Order of Saint Michael. Around, IEHAN · MARQVIS · DESPINAI · CONTE · DE · DVRESTAL . Reverse: A lion crouching at the base of a tree entwined by a vine. Around, SIC · IONCTI · SVMVS · AMORE . In exergue, HOS · DVOS · CONSERVO at the top, · ANTEO · F · at the bottom. A center line of text is missing from the exergue of this piece due to the poor casting in that area, and should read · 1578 · . Inscriptions: IEHAN MARQUIS DESPINAI CONTE DE DURESTAL Jean, Marquis d'Espinay, Count of Durtal SIC IUNCTI SUMUS AMORE Thus We Are United By Love HOS DUOS CONSERVO These Two I Preserve Jean d'Espinay (1528 - 1591), Count of Durtal, was a man of war and Knight of the Order of Saint Michael. He served under five kings of France: Henry II, François II, Charles IX, Henry III, and Henry IV. He was appointed chamberlain of Henry II and light calvary company captain and steward of Albi and Castres. He was rewarded for his services by Charles IX by being made a Knight of the Order of Saint Michael, and Henry III established his lordship at Espinay in 1576. In 1578, his son, Claude d'Espinay, was married to Françoise de La Rochefoucauld, the event to which this medal refers. This medal appears to be somewhat rare. It is listed in Trésor de Numismatique, Médailles Françaises I (Plate L, Number 6), which is referenced in later volumes by Armand and Toderi & Vannel's corpus of 16th century Italian medals. However, it is missing from the major references which catalog four of the most important collections of late 16th century Italian medals: the British Museum (Attwood), the Bargello in Florence (Vannel & Toderi), the National Gallery of Art (Pollard), and the Berlin Münzkabinett (Börner). References: Toderi & Vannel (XVI Secolo) 177
I especially like the first one. The others are good or even great too, but that book design is something I have not seen often. Christian
It's a medal of Giovanni Alvise Toscani attributed to the artist Lysippus the Younger. The reverse features Toscani's coat of arms. It's hard to tell from the images, but it looks like a later cast. For comparison, here's another medal of Toscani from my collection:
Thanks a lot ... so far I already knew .... but I am looking for an identical piece .. or a publication ... it was found in the treasure hunt
It is listed in Hill's "A Corpus of Italian Medals of the Renaissance Before Cellini" as no. 809 I believe (I don't have the book in front of me now).
WOW ... I would THANK YOU very much if you can post a picture of it when you are at the book! it is for a good friend who has a holy medal side ... we are from Austria http://www.wallfahrtsmedaillen.at/a/medaillen
Attached are images from Hill, and also the listing for the medal in Ulrich Pfisterer's book "Lysippus und seine Freunde"
