Antoine Ruzé Coeffier thumbnail 1
Antoine Ruzé Coeffier thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 111, The Gilbert Bayes Gallery

Antoine Ruzé Coeffier

Medal
1629 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The commemorative portrait medal was especially highly regarded in France during the first half of the 17th century. Guillaume Dupré (1579-1644), court medallist to Henry IV, undertook medallic portrait commissions in Italy from 1612. Dupré's grasp of the Italian tradition, together with his considerable technical skills, enabled him to cast medals in a style that proved influential on succeeding generations of French medallists. The medal of Antoine Coeffier, called Ruzé, by Jean Warin, is close in style and technical accomplishment to that of Dupré and was for many years attributed to him. The Museum's version is a particularly fine specimen, and the reverse - which shows Hercules receiving the burden of the world from Atlas - is in such high relief that Hercules' left arm stands out free of the field.

Medallic art has always been collected at South Kensington within the context of the history of sculpture. The collection is consequently rich in examples of the work of known sculptors in this medium, and emphasis has been placed on the acquisition of particularly fine examples. Both the medals illustrated here were bequeathed by George Salting, whose great collection contained many other important and beautiful pieces.

Ruzé was Superintendent of Finances and Commander of the French army. He is shown as Atlas helping the French king, in the guise of Hercules, carry the burdens of state, symbolised by a terrestrial globe.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAntoine Ruzé Coeffier (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze, cast and chased
Brief description
Medal, bronze, Antoine Coeffier (called Ruzé), Marquis d'Effiat, made by Jean Warin, Paris, 1629
Physical description
Medal depicts on the obverse the bust to right of d'Éffiat, in armour, wearing a collar of lace and a scarf, and a ribbon with the cross of the Order of the Holy Ghost. Inscription.
On the reverse Hercules receiving from Atlas the burden of the world. By Hercules, his lion's skin and club. The figures in very high relief. Inscription
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 7cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'A . RVZE . M . DEFFIAT . ET . D . LONIVMEAV . SVRT . DES . FINANCES' (obverse)
  • 'QVIDQVID . EST . IVSSVM . LEVE . EST - 1629' (reverse)
Credit line
Salting Bequest
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Production
previously ascribed to Guillaume Dupré
Subjects depicted
Summary
The commemorative portrait medal was especially highly regarded in France during the first half of the 17th century. Guillaume Dupré (1579-1644), court medallist to Henry IV, undertook medallic portrait commissions in Italy from 1612. Dupré's grasp of the Italian tradition, together with his considerable technical skills, enabled him to cast medals in a style that proved influential on succeeding generations of French medallists. The medal of Antoine Coeffier, called Ruzé, by Jean Warin, is close in style and technical accomplishment to that of Dupré and was for many years attributed to him. The Museum's version is a particularly fine specimen, and the reverse - which shows Hercules receiving the burden of the world from Atlas - is in such high relief that Hercules' left arm stands out free of the field.

Medallic art has always been collected at South Kensington within the context of the history of sculpture. The collection is consequently rich in examples of the work of known sculptors in this medium, and emphasis has been placed on the acquisition of particularly fine examples. Both the medals illustrated here were bequeathed by George Salting, whose great collection contained many other important and beautiful pieces.

Ruzé was Superintendent of Finances and Commander of the French army. He is shown as Atlas helping the French king, in the guise of Hercules, carry the burdens of state, symbolised by a terrestrial globe.
Bibliographic references
  • Williamson, Paul, ed. European Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. 191p., ill. ISBN 1851771883.
  • '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. 54
  • Jones, Mark. Catalogue of the French Medals in the British Museum, Vol II, 1600-1672. London: 1988, pp. 188-191, no 180
  • Scher, Stephen K, The Currency of fame: portrait medals of the Renaissance, New York, National Gallery of Art (U.S.), Frick Collection., 1994 pp.339-340
  • Trusted, Marjorie, ed. The Making of Sculpture. The Materials and Techniques of European Sculpture. London: 2007, p. 86, plate 141
Collection
Accession number
A.362-1910

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Record createdNovember 19, 2002
Record URL
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