Medal thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Medal

1916 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bronze medal was made by Jules Prosper Legastelois in France, 1916. This medal commemorates the Battle of the Marne and honours the three French architects of victory in the battle. Marshal Joffre was Chief of Staff of the French armies in 1914, and Marshals Maunoury and Gallieni were charged with the defence of Paris.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Brief description
Battle of the Marne and marshals Joffre, Maunoury and Gallieni, struck bronze, by Jules Prosper Legastelois, French, 20th century, 1916.
Physical description
Obv., busts of Marshals Joffre, Maunoury and Gallieni superposed, to right. Rev., the female personification of France, bare-breasted and armed with a great sword, flying above the multitude of the French army as they advance to the right led by officers on foot and on horseback. To hte left in a file are representatives of the famous 2,000 Parisian taxi cabs requisitioned by Marshal Gallieni to bring Tunisian reinforcements to the battle. Faintly, in the background, are the outlines of the Eiffel tower and Paris itself. The edge has the incuse cornucopia of Paris Mint and BRONZE.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 68mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • "BATAILLE DE LA MARNE," "SEPTEMBRE 1914," "J. P. LEGASTELOIS" (obv.)
  • "J. P. LEGASTELOIS" (rev.)
Subjects depicted
Summary
This bronze medal was made by Jules Prosper Legastelois in France, 1916. This medal commemorates the Battle of the Marne and honours the three French architects of victory in the battle. Marshal Joffre was Chief of Staff of the French armies in 1914, and Marshals Maunoury and Gallieni were charged with the defence of Paris.
Bibliographic reference
Cullen, Lucy, Fisher, Wendy and Jopek, Norbert, 'One by One': European Commemorative Medals for the Great War 1914-1918, London : Victoria & Albert Museum, 1998 10
Collection
Accession number
A.100-1920

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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