Vernon designed this medal for the shooting club called “Le Pistolet” (the Pistol), and the obverse inscription reveals the organization’s patriotic basis: “The warrior, guardian of Gaul’s honor.” Vernon depicts Marianne, symbol of France, with braided hair, a crested helmet, and armor decorated with geometric designs made from metal studs, which French archaeologists associated with ancient warriors. When Marianne was shown wearing this helmet she was called Gallia, underlining the associations between the government of the Third Republic and the ancient people of the region that became France. Though Marianne was often shown in the nineteenth century wearing a Phrygian cap—the symbol of liberty—or a wreath of laurel or olives, here Vernon gives her a more martial appearance, which became popular during the last quarter of the 1800s following the defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). The streaming, disheveled hair—so out of step with contemporary fashion—was meant to suggest the unrestrained passion with which the French could fight. Collectors often enjoy assembling collections of medals depicting Marianne, because it allows for easy comparisons between artists. On the reverse Vernon carefully depicts two pistols, the emblems of the shooting club.

 

This medal was executed by Frédéric Vernon, one of the most accomplished French Art Nouveau medalists. He received the best training as a pupil of Chaplain, he won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1887, and he became a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts and a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1900.    Scarce

 

This medal will appeal to collectors interested in French shooting clubs, firearms, and images of the Third Republic.

 

Extremely fine. Attractive golden appearance. See pictures.

 

Artist: Frédéric Charles Victor de Vernon (1858-1912)

Title: Gallic Marianne Wearing a Winged Helmet, Le Pistolet Society (1896)

Material: gold-plated bronze

Size: 42 mm

Weight: 30 gr

Inscriptions:

Obverse: GALLIAE CUSTOS HONORIS VINDEX; signed F. VERNON/ 1896

Reverse: LE/ PISTOLET/ MDCCCXCIV

Edge: plain

Reference: Leonard Forrer, Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, vol. 6, p. 238

 

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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.