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Princesse Eliza

Medal
1813 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This medal, together with five others (A.18-2005-A.22-2005) was issued by the Paris Mint between 1808 and 1813 and all are based on ancient Greek coins, offering an insight into the 'after life' of commemorative medals. These medals appear to have been collected together and the backs modified, with a bar attached to turn them into buttons. It may be that they were intended to be worn prominently on a garment to indicate the wearer's devotion to Napoleon Bonaparte and his female relatives. This one shows Princess Elisa (1777-1820), sister of Napoleon.

The medal is made by Nicolas Brenet and designed by Dominique Vivant Denon. Brenet (1773-1846) studied in Paris with Jacques Édouard Gatteaux (1788-1881. He was a major contributor to the semi-official Napoleonic series of medals executed under the direction of Vivant Denon, who was the Director of the Louvre from 1804-1815. He also produced medals for Louis XVIII, Charles X, for whom Brenet cut the State Seals, and Louis-Philippe. He exhibited at the Salons of 1817, 1822, 1831, 1833, 1834,1839 and later. Brenet is also acknowledged as a fine engraver of coins.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePrincesse Eliza (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Struck silver
Brief description
Medal, Princess Elisa, struck silver, by Andrieu, Brenet and Denon, French, 19th century, 1813.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 2.3cm
  • Weight: 6.6g
Marks and inscriptions
  • Legend in Greek (Obverse)
    Translation
    Elisa, sister of the Emperor
  • 'AN' (Obverse, intials of maker (Andrieu))
  • 'VIA DA LUCCA A PISA' (Reverse exergue)
    Translation
    The way from Lucca to Pisa
  • 'DENON. D. BRENET F.' (Reverse, below exergue)
Credit line
Given by Jack E. Ladevèze
Object history
Issed by La Monnaie de Paris as a medal in 1813, this medal has a metal strip fixed to the reverse
Production
Reason For Production: Commemorative
Subjects depicted
Summary
This medal, together with five others (A.18-2005-A.22-2005) was issued by the Paris Mint between 1808 and 1813 and all are based on ancient Greek coins, offering an insight into the 'after life' of commemorative medals. These medals appear to have been collected together and the backs modified, with a bar attached to turn them into buttons. It may be that they were intended to be worn prominently on a garment to indicate the wearer's devotion to Napoleon Bonaparte and his female relatives. This one shows Princess Elisa (1777-1820), sister of Napoleon.

The medal is made by Nicolas Brenet and designed by Dominique Vivant Denon. Brenet (1773-1846) studied in Paris with Jacques Édouard Gatteaux (1788-1881. He was a major contributor to the semi-official Napoleonic series of medals executed under the direction of Vivant Denon, who was the Director of the Louvre from 1804-1815. He also produced medals for Louis XVIII, Charles X, for whom Brenet cut the State Seals, and Louis-Philippe. He exhibited at the Salons of 1817, 1822, 1831, 1833, 1834,1839 and later. Brenet is also acknowledged as a fine engraver of coins.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Catalogue Générale des Éditions de la Monnaie de Paris, Vol. 2, p. 82, F, illstr. p.83 F
Collection
Accession number
A.23-2005

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Record createdOctober 12, 2006
Record URL
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