Isotta degli Atti, 1432/1433-1474, Mistress 1446, then Wife after 1453, of Sigismondo Malatesta [obverse] c. 1454

This bronze portrait medal of Isotta degli Atti was made by Matteo de' Pasti in the 15th century. Isotta’s story is fascinating: she became the mistress of the powerful Sigismondo Malatesta in 1446, and later, his wife. During the Renaissance, portrait medals were often commissioned to celebrate individuals, acting as both keepsakes and symbols of status. Here, Isotta is immortalized through the male gaze of the artist, who captures her profile with a focus on her beauty and noble features. But what agency did Isotta have in crafting her own image? As a woman in a patriarchal society, her identity was largely defined by her relationship to men. Her shift from mistress to wife undoubtedly altered her social standing and the way she was perceived, yet her position remained contingent on her husband's power. Consider the layers of Isotta's identity: woman, mistress, wife, and muse. This medal invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between personal identity, social expectations, and artistic representation in the Renaissance.