Sixtus IV, ter ere van de overwinning op de Turken in de slag bij Otranto 1480

This medal was created by Andrea Guazzalotti to commemorate Sixtus IV's victory over the Turks in the battle of Otranto. The circular form concentrates our attention on the two sides, each a symbolic landscape of power and triumph. On one side, Sixtus IV is rendered in profile, his elaborate papal garments meticulously detailed, framing his stern visage. The texture of his attire contrasts with the smoothness of his face, creating a tactile quality. The reverse side features a figure, possibly an allegorical representation of victory, standing tall, draped in flowing fabric. The figure is flanked by inscriptions which curve with the medal's edge. The medal employs a symbolic binary. The profile of the Pope on one side and the allegorical figure on the other operate within a well-established semiotic system. The medal is not merely a celebratory object but also a carefully constructed statement about power, victory, and divine will. It invites us to consider the relationship between representation and authority in Renaissance art.