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Maximilien de Bethune

Medal
1607 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Dupré, Guillaume (medallist)
Place of origin
France (made)

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
Coins & Medals
Portraits
Sculpture
Object type
Medal
TitleMaximilien de Bethune (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze gilt
Bronze
Gold
Gilding
Brief description
Medal, bronze gilt, Maximilien de Bethune, by Guillaume Dupré, France, dated 1607
Physical description
Medal depicts on the obverse the bust to right of Sully, wearing a scarf over armour, and a ruff. Inscription.
On the reverse
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 4.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'MAXI . DE BETHVNE DVC DE SVLLY G . M . DE LART . DE F . - 1607' (obverse)
  • 'QVO IVSSA IOVIS' (reverse)
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subject depicted
De Bethune, Maximilien
Summary
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. 53
  • Jones, Mark. Catalogue of the French Medals in the British Museum, Vol II, 1600-1672. London: 1988, pp. 70-71, No 25
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.355-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313201/maximilien-de-bethune-medal-dupré-guillaume/
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