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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