We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: A.352-1910
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Balthazar de Villars

Medal
1600 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The medal depicts Balthazar de Villars (1559-1629), who was Lieutenant-general to the "Présidial" of Lyons.
Cast in bronze or lead, the Renaissance portrait medal commemorated individuals or events. They were used as gifts and mementoes and were inspired by Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, eagerly collected by humanists. Many specialist sculptors were attracted to the art form. It was recognised that there was a ready market for medals among the growing class of collectors, usually members of the intelligensia or the gentry, who were attracted to small-scale works of art. The medal format proved ideal for this type of personal and intimate object.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBalthazar de Villars (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Brief description
Medal, bronze, Balthazar de Villars, by Guillaume Dupré, France, dated 1600
Physical description
Medal depicts on the obverse the bust to right of Villars, bearded, wearing an embroidered mantle over a doublet, and a ruff. Inscription.
On the reverse a shield of arms surmounted by a helmet having for crest a naked man, erased, armed with a club. Inscription.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 4.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'B . DE . VILLARS . PRÆSES . ET . PRÆTOR . LVGD . - G . DVPRE . F' (obverse)
  • 'FORTIS . FORTVNA . FORTIOR' - MDC' (reverse)
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Summary
The medal depicts Balthazar de Villars (1559-1629), who was Lieutenant-general to the "Présidial" of Lyons.
Cast in bronze or lead, the Renaissance portrait medal commemorated individuals or events. They were used as gifts and mementoes and were inspired by Roman coins, with their portraits of rulers and allegorical representations on the reverse, eagerly collected by humanists. Many specialist sculptors were attracted to the art form. It was recognised that there was a ready market for medals among the growing class of collectors, usually members of the intelligensia or the gentry, who were attracted to small-scale works of art. The medal format proved ideal for this type of personal and intimate object.
Bibliographic references
  • 'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p.52
  • Jones, Mark. Catalogue of the French Medals in the British Museum, Vol II, 1600-1672. London: 1988, pp. 52-54, No 8
Collection
Accession number
A.352-1910

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON