Oudiné’s depiction of the French Republic dates to 1878, but is a variation on his design for the 5 Franc piece for the newly established Second Republic in 1848. On certain occasions the government of the French Third Republic wanted to distance itself from the more passionate Revolutionary image of Marianne wearing the Phrygian cap of liberty, as well as the militaristic image of Marianne wearing a helmet, so they returned to Oudiné’s earlier image of Marianne in the guise of the goddess Ceres, wearing wheat, flowers, and olive and oak branches in her hair, emphasizing prosperity and stability. This peaceful image is underscored by the word “Concorde” inscribed on her headband. This medal was awarded by the Prefect of the Department of the Seine-Inférieure—renamed the Seine-Maritime in 1955—a region in Normandy in northwestern France.

 

Eugène Oudiné won the Prix de Rome in 1831, and many other accolades followed, including being named Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1857. In addition to his many medals, he also produced designs for French coinage. His career began earlier than most medalists of the Art Nouveau period, and he was, according to one scholar “one of the first medallists to make struck medals (by the help of the reducing machine) in the modern French style, having something of the ‘soft’ appearance of a cast medal.” The well-known medalists Chaplain, Ponscarme and Tasset were among his students.

 

This medal will appeal to collectors interested in images of Marianne/the French Republic.

 

Near extremely fine. Attractive silvery gray appearance. See pictures.

 

Artist: Eugène André Oudiné (1810-1887)

Title: Republique Française, Prefect of the Department of the Seine-Inférieure (1878)

Material: silver-plated bronze

Size: 41 mm

Weight: 28 gr

Inscriptions:

Obverse: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE; signed OUDINÉ

Reverse: OFFERT/ AU NOM DU/ DEPARTEMENT/ PAR LE PREFET/ DE LA/ SEINE-INFÉRIEURE

Edge: Cornucopia, BRONZE

Mint: Monnaie de Paris

Reference: Leonard Forrer, Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, vol. 4, p. 350

 

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In the coming weeks I will be listing many Art Nouveau and Art Deco medals and plaquettes, from France, Belgium and Austria, which I have collected over the past twenty years. They are by the leading medalists of the period, and many are rare.