Medal — Medal (the Statue of Liberty), France, late 19th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 19th century
Medal in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number 363-1903), made in France, dated late 19th century, attributed to Roty. The museum's brief description reads: Medal, cast silver, depicting the Franco-American Union, by O.
Roty, France, end of 19th century. Museum description: Medal depicts: Obv.: VNION.FRANCO.AMERICAINE STATVE.COLOSSALE.DE.LA.LIBERTÉ.ECLAIRANT.LE.MONDE 28 OCTOBRE M.D.CCCLXXXVI. France and America seated in a boat rowed by the genius of Liberty gazing at the colossal figure of Liberty enlightening the world, by Bartholdi, in New York Harbour. Signed on the seat of the boat O. ROTY. Rev.: SOUVENIR.DE.L'INDEPENDANCE.AMERICAINE MONVMENT ERIGÉ.PAR.LA.FRANCE.ET.L'AMERIQUE.EN.SOUVENIR.DE.LEUR.ANCIENNE.AMITIÉ 1776.1876 HAVTEVR.DE.LA.STATVE.46''' 8.
HAVTEVR.DV PIÉDESTAL.35'''. A medallion with the head of Bartholdi with a spray of laurel and two shields bearing the arms of France and America. The museum records it as Cast silver, measuring Diameter 6.83 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
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
This medal celebrates the union of France and the United States of America in the late 19th century. Oscar Roty was the leading French medallist at this time. He studied painting under Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran and sculpture under Augustin-Alexandre Dumont. In 1875 he won the Prix de Rome for engraving and, supported by his more conservative mentor, Jules-Clément Chaplain, was elected to the Institut de France in 1888. In 1889 he won the Grand Prix at the Paris Exposition Universelle and was appointed an officer of the Légion d’honneur. In 1907 he was awarded the Salon medal of honour for sculpture, an unprecedented award for a medallist. Roty’s great career reflected his role in what Roger Marx called ‘the Renaissance of the medal in France’. This was evident at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900, where struck medals by Roty and other medallists sold in tens of thousands.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- silver
- Dimensions
- Diameter 6.83 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Cast silver
- Maker recorded
- Roty
- Place recorded
- France
Design
- Inscriptions recorded
- VNION.FRANCO.AMERICAINE STATVE.COLOSSALE.DE.LA.LIBERTÉ.ECLAIRANT.LE.MONDE 28 OCTOBRE M.D.CCCLXXXVI; SOUVENIR.DE.L'INDEPENDANCE.AMERICAINE MONVMENT ERIGÉ.PAR.LA.FRANCE.ET.L'AMERIQUE.EN.SOUVENIR.DE.LEUR.ANCIENNE.AMITIÉ 1776.1876 HAVTEVR.DE.LA.STATVE.46''' 8. HAVTEVR.DV PIÉDESTAL.35'''; O. ROTY.
Identification
- Museum object name
- Medal
- Museum object number
- 363-1903
- Museum system number
- O172356
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.