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Plaquette - Angelo Mariani's VIN MARIANI, celebrates the use of coca leaf in proprietary medicine
  • Angelo Mariani's VIN MARIANI, celebrates the use of coca leaf in proprietary medicine
    Peter, Victor, born 1840 - died 1918
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Angelo Mariani's VIN MARIANI, celebrates the use of coca leaf in proprietary medicine

  • Object:

    Plaquette

  • Place of origin:

    France (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1909 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Peter, Victor, born 1840 - died 1918 (medallist)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Bronze

  • Museum number:

    A.10-1976

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

This medal, made by the medallist Victor Peter in ca. 1909 in France, depicts a bottle of 'Vin Mariani a la Coca' in front of a club, an animal skin and coca leaves. The animal skin and club could possibly imply reference to strength by using imagery associated with Hercules. On the reverse is a winged putto who dips the tip of an arrow into the neck of a bottle of the elixir.
Angelo Mariani (1838-1914) was a French chemist, most well known for the invention of the first cocawine, 'Vin Mariani' in 1863. He imported a huge amount of coca leaves, made an extract and used it for many products. Mariani's coca wine, 'Vin Mariani', made him famous and wealthy. This tonic wine is treated as the Coca Cola progenitor.
The medallist Oscar Roty (1846-1911) also celebrates 'Vin Mariani' in a similar style and manner on a medal. His reverse would show a Nymph with the sick Cupid.

Physical description

Obverse: Superscript. Below a bottle of Vin Mariani with inscription on the label stands in front of a diagonally placed club, over which is draped an animal skin (implied reference to strength by using imagery associated with Hercules?) and diagonally from right to left is a branch of the coca plant. The skin and plant extend over the lower ledge and below is inscribed V. PETER.
Reverse: A winged putto kneels at the centre, facing outwards but turning to the left. His left hand supports a quiver of arrows and with his right hand he dips the tip of an arrow into the neck of a bottle of Vin Mariani. At the right two other arrows are being tempered in a brazier, below which is an anvil and hammer and the putti's bow. Inscribed.

Place of Origin

France (made)

Date

ca. 1909 (made)

Artist/maker

Peter, Victor, born 1840 - died 1918 (medallist)

Materials and Techniques

Bronze

Marks and inscriptions

'VENI - BIBI - VICI -'
'I came, drank and I conquered'
Superscript on obverse

'VIN MARIANI A LA COCA'
obverse, written on the label

'V. PETER'
obverse, below

'V. PETER'
reverse, at the lower left

Dimensions

Height: 42 cm, Width: 50.6 cm

Object history note

Given by Henry Marshall, in 1976.

Descriptive line

Angelo Mariani, celebrating the use of coca leaf in the Vin Mariani, proprietary medicine, struck bronze, by Victor Peter, France, about 1909.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Forrer, L. Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, IV, London, 1909, pp. 461-464
Vandenbrouck-Przybylski, Melanie, ' 'These should without delay be represented in our museum' Nineteenth- and twentieth-century French medals at the V&A', The Medal, No.61, Autumn 2012, pp. 21-37, fig. 16

Materials

Bronze

Subjects depicted

Putto; Brazier; Arrows; Bottle; Coca leaf; Quiver; Club; Vin mariani; Skin

Categories

Coins & Medals; Plaques & Plaquettes; Portraits; Sculpture

Collection

Sculpture Collection

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