Matteo di Andrea de'Pasti, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (1417-1468), 1450, bronze, 1 9/16 in. (4 cm.), In 1447, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, began rebuilding the church of San Francesco into the newly named Tempio Malatestiano, which this medal memorializes on the reverse. According to a common practice in Renaissance Italy, builders placed specimens of this medal in the new foundations of the Temple during its reconstruction. Because bronze (copper and tin) is the predominant metal in this example, the surface quality is well preserved and the details on the sitter's hair and collar still resemble the original design by Matteo de'Pasti. The bronze (copper and tin) composition is very similar to an identical foundation medal at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The similarity in metallic makeup not only confirms its fifteenth-century dating, but also presents the possibility that this model is from the same casting that was being used by the builders at Rimini.
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Matteo di Andrea de'Pasti, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, 1417-1468, 1450, bronze, 1 9/16, 4 cm., 1447, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord, Rimini, began rebuilding, church, San Francesco, newly, Tempio Malatestiano, medal memorializes, reverse. According, common practice, Renaissance Italy, builders placed specimens, medal, new foundations, Temple, reconstruction., bronze, copper, tin, predominant metal, example, surface quality, well preserved, details, sitter's hair, collar, resemble, original design, Matteo de'Pasti., bronze, copper, tin, composition, identical foundation medal, National Gallery, Art, Washington, DC., similarity, metallic makeup, confirms, fifteenth-century dating, presents, possibility, model, casting, builders, Rimini
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