The 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne was marked by exuberant celebrations and a great number of commemorative wares. This medal was issued by the Art Union of London, an organisation that encouraged public interest in the arts and also celebrated its own Golden Jubilee in 1887.
Physical description
Medal, bronze. Obverse side: bust of the crowned and veiled sitter facing to the righ. Inscription of a tablet below the bust and around the border. Reverse side, a singed figure testing the direction fo the wind standing on the stern castle of a ship and a putto at the bow of it.
Place of Origin
London, England (made)
Date
1887 (made)
Artist/maker
Gilbert, Alfred (Sir), born 1854 - died 1934 (sculptor)
Materials and Techniques
Bronze, cast
Marks and inscriptions
ANN. IVBIL. 1887
VICTORIA QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND & EMPRESS OF INDIA
ART SAILETH THOUGH LIFE FAILETH. ART UNION OF LONDON 1837- 1887.
Dimensions
Diameter: 64 mm
Object history note
Bought from R.G. Coats for £35.
Descriptive line
Medal, London, 1887, Sir Alfred Gilbert, Queen Victoria, ship
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Beaulah, G.K. 'The Medals of tha Art Union of London', British Numismatic Journal, vol. XXXVI, p. 185.
Brown, L. British Historical Medals 1837-1901. The Reign of Queen Victoria, London, 1986, no. 2633.
Attwood, P. Artistic Cirlces., British Museum, London, 1992, p. 39
Attwood, P, 'Lifting the Veil: new light on the medals of Alfred Gilbert' in Burlington Magazine, Feb 1995, vol. CXXXVII, No. 1103, pp. 92-95, figs. 45a, 45b
Trusted, Marjorie (ed.), The Making of Sculpture. The materials and techniques of European sculpture, London, 2007, p. 90, pl. 155.
Exhibition History
'This Brilliant Year'. Queen Victoria's Jubilee 1877' (Royal Academy of Arts 01/01/1977-31/12/1977)
Materials
Bronze
Subjects depicted
Ship; Victoria (Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India)
Categories
Sculpture; Coins & Medals
Collection code
SCP
