Medal
1792
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This medal captures a short period in French history when the Revolutionary government and the King of France co-existed. It was produced and distributed before the abolition of the French monarchy in September 1792 and the execution of the King in January 1793. The image on this five sols medal, which shows the Oath of the Federation in Paris on 14 July 1790 (the first anniversary of the fall of the Bastille), was originally designed in 1790 by Augustin Dupré (1748-1833) for a commemorative oval medallion celebrating the Festival of the Federation. Dupré was a renowned medalist whose designs captured the essence of the Revolution and who became Engraver General of Currency in 1791. The reproduction of the design on the five sols medal is of relatively good quality considering its intrinsic value and the quantity manufactured, and is a testament to the effectiveness of Boulton’s production technique.
Revolutionary symbolism is captured in the images of soldiers swearing to a female representation of the Republic holding the French constitution; a Phrygian or liberty cap appearing on one of the flags; scrolls, lying in disarray, which probably represent the suppression of noble privileges. However the medal also includes royal emblems and an image of Louis XVI. After the French Revolution coins continued to bear the king’s head and, possibly, this medal included the royal portrait to reinforce confidence in it as ‘real’ currency or perhaps it was just recognising the monarchy still existed.
The turmoil of the French Revolution and the loss of state monopoly afforded the Monneron Brothers an opportunity to capitalise on a void in the market by commoditising medal making, albeit using English production. Therefore, although these medals celebrated the new regime they also subverted it and imported private currency was quickly terminated by the Revolutionary government.
Revolutionary symbolism is captured in the images of soldiers swearing to a female representation of the Republic holding the French constitution; a Phrygian or liberty cap appearing on one of the flags; scrolls, lying in disarray, which probably represent the suppression of noble privileges. However the medal also includes royal emblems and an image of Louis XVI. After the French Revolution coins continued to bear the king’s head and, possibly, this medal included the royal portrait to reinforce confidence in it as ‘real’ currency or perhaps it was just recognising the monarchy still existed.
The turmoil of the French Revolution and the loss of state monopoly afforded the Monneron Brothers an opportunity to capitalise on a void in the market by commoditising medal making, albeit using English production. Therefore, although these medals celebrated the new regime they also subverted it and imported private currency was quickly terminated by the Revolutionary government.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Medal or token, five sols, issued by Monneron Brothers, designed by Augustin Dupré, manufactured in Birmingham, 1792 |
| Physical description | The obverse of the medal depicts soldiers stepping forward saluting a seated helmeted female figure who holds a tablet inscribed with ‘CONSTITUTION DES FRANCAIS’. A shield decorated with three fleur de lys lies nearby. One of the flags flying above the soldiers includes a liberty cap. On the plinth is a profile portrait of Louis XVI within a circular frame draped with a laurel leaf swag and at its base are discarded scrolls inscribed with ‘PRIV...’. The oval image sits within an inscribed circular band and a beaded outer edge. The reverse of the medal is inscribed within a central circle and within an outer band. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Obverse
PACTE FEDERATIF and 14 JUILLET 1790 (in the image)
VIVRES LIBRES OU MOURIR (within the outer band)
Reverse
MEDAILLE QUI SE VEND CINQ-SOLS A PARIS CHEZ MONNERON PATENTE 1792 (in the centre)
REVOLUTION FRANCAISE (within the outer band).
Edge
LA CONFIANCE. AUGMENTE. LA. VALEUR
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| Object history | Medals or tokens of this type were produced and distributed as commemorative currency when there was a severe shortage of low value coins and lack of confidence in paper currency following the French Revolution. The Monneron Brothers, a commercial family enterprise in Paris, privately commissioned medals from Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) in denominations of two sols and five sols. A number of versions of the five sols medal were produced (see also A.18-1997). Matthew Boulton was a Birmingham industrialist whose ormolu and metalwork were renowned. By 1789 he had developed and built his first steam powered press for minting coinage at Soho, Birmingham, transforming output to high quality mass produced coins and medals. Boulton successfully secured overseas clients including the Monneron brothers who commissioned this and other similar medals. They were manufactured and exported by Boulton in substantial quantities and were initially well received as being both commemorative and tradable but by September 1792 this type of imported private currency was prohibited by the French National Assembly. Many examples survive including several at the British Museum. |
| Production | Manufactured by Matthew Bolton at the Soho Mint, Birmingham |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This medal captures a short period in French history when the Revolutionary government and the King of France co-existed. It was produced and distributed before the abolition of the French monarchy in September 1792 and the execution of the King in January 1793. The image on this five sols medal, which shows the Oath of the Federation in Paris on 14 July 1790 (the first anniversary of the fall of the Bastille), was originally designed in 1790 by Augustin Dupré (1748-1833) for a commemorative oval medallion celebrating the Festival of the Federation. Dupré was a renowned medalist whose designs captured the essence of the Revolution and who became Engraver General of Currency in 1791. The reproduction of the design on the five sols medal is of relatively good quality considering its intrinsic value and the quantity manufactured, and is a testament to the effectiveness of Boulton’s production technique. Revolutionary symbolism is captured in the images of soldiers swearing to a female representation of the Republic holding the French constitution; a Phrygian or liberty cap appearing on one of the flags; scrolls, lying in disarray, which probably represent the suppression of noble privileges. However the medal also includes royal emblems and an image of Louis XVI. After the French Revolution coins continued to bear the king’s head and, possibly, this medal included the royal portrait to reinforce confidence in it as ‘real’ currency or perhaps it was just recognising the monarchy still existed. The turmoil of the French Revolution and the loss of state monopoly afforded the Monneron Brothers an opportunity to capitalise on a void in the market by commoditising medal making, albeit using English production. Therefore, although these medals celebrated the new regime they also subverted it and imported private currency was quickly terminated by the Revolutionary government. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.17-1997 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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