Isotta degli Atti, 1432/1433-1474, Mistress 1446, then Wife after 1453, of Sigismondo Malatesta [obverse] c. 1450

This bronze medal of Isotta degli Atti was created by Matteo de' Pasti around 1450. The circular form immediately draws your eye to the profile portrait, sharply defined against the flat plane of the medal. The even, warm tone of the bronze gives the piece a classical feel. De’ Pasti uses line and text to frame and enhance the portrait, lending it a sense of timelessness. The inscription, "Isotta of Rimini, beauty and virtue adorn," is carefully inscribed in a full circle around Isotta. The choice of bronze, along with the formal and balanced composition, reflects the Renaissance interest in classical antiquity. It also underscores the humanist values of the time, emphasizing individual achievement and the celebration of human form. Note the interplay between the curves of the medal and the sharp, classical lines of Isotta’s profile. This juxtaposition creates a dynamic tension, inviting us to consider how form itself communicates meaning.