Minerva
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1860
This circular brass medal portrays Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Designed by Christian Schnitzpahn, the medal features the standing figure of Minerva wearing a helmet and draped robes, holding an open book, accompanied by an owl in low relief within a central circular field. The medal is signed and dated, with circumferential lettering framing the central motif.
Manufactured in 1860 by The Berlin Medallic Mint of Gottfried Bernhard Loos in Berlin, the piece measures 4.2 cm in diameter and 0.4 cm in depth. The overall object is struck in brass, exhibiting a golden-toned metallic surface.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The medal was commissioned by Christiana (now Oslo) University to commemorate the coronation of King Charles XV of Norway and Sweden and his consort, Louisa. It was presented by the Royal University of Norway in 1873. The Berlin Medallic Mint, established by Gottfried Bernhard Loos, was a prolific die-sinking enterprise that engaged numerous designers and continued operating under Loos's name long after his death.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Brass
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 4.2 cm; Depth: 0.4 cm
Technical characteristics
- Inscriptions
- Date: Text: Research required; Latest: Research required; Earliest: Research required; Note: signed and dated; Type: Research required; Medium: Research required; Method: Research required; Script: Research required; Content: Research required; Language: Research required; Position: Research required; Inscriber: Name: Id: Research required; Text: Research required; Association: Id: Research required; Text: Research required; Description: Research required; Translation: Research required; Interpretation: Research required; Transliteration: Research required
- Maker recorded
- Schnitzpahn, Christian; The Berlin Medallic Mint of Gottfried Bernhard Loos
- Place recorded
- Berlin
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Minerva
- Museum object number
- 1371-1873
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.