By the beginning of the 19th century French medallic art had become repetitive and banal. It was rescued by David d’Angers’ sculptural sketches in cast bronze. He modelled the sitter’s features in wax and added names and dates as scribbles in the surface. This example is one of a series depicting the outstanding men and women of his time.

Emmanuel, Comte de las Cases was a French naval officer who accompanied the ex Emperor Napoleon to St Helena, acting as his secretary and taking down notes of his conversations which then formed the famous book 'Mémorial de Ste Hélène'.