Beschreibung
Erhaltung: TTB-SUP | Abkürzungen
Material: Blei
Gewicht: 584,57 g
This pair of medallions features uniface lead trial strikes (~11 cm diameter, ~291 g each) of the profile busts of King Louis XII and Anne of Brittany. Cast in circa 1499 to commemorate the royal couples solemn entry into the city of Lyon, these high-relief pieces are exceptionally fine examples of early French Renaissance medallic art. Each medallion exhibits the royal portrait in very high relief with a blank reverse, indicating that these are one-sided trial medals likely produced contemporaneously with the official commemorative medal.
On the Louis XII medallion, the king is depicted in profile facing right, wearing a cap (mortarboard) surmounted by a crown of fleurs-de-lis and adorned with the collar and badge of the Order of Saint Michael.
The field around the kings bust is filled with fleur-de-lis motifs, symbolizing the French monarchy, and a lion passant is seen below the bust a reference to the city of Lyon, which commissioned the medal.
Encircling the portrait is the Latin legend FELICE · LVDOVICO · REGNANTE · DVODECIMO · CESARE · ALTERO · GAVDET · OMNIS · NACIO, which translates to In the blessed reign of Louis XII, another Caesar, the entire nation rejoices.
This inscription glorifies Louis XIIs rule by likening him to a new Caesar, underscoring the prosperity and joy of his people under his reign. The Anne of Brittany medallion shows Queen Anne in profile facing left, wearing a short veil capped by the French royal crown, and a necklace with a jewel pendant.
The field is semé (strewn) with fleur-de-lis on the left side and ermine tails on the right, combining the symbols of France and of Brittany (Annes ducal lineage).
A lion passant is also present below the bust of the queen, accompanied by the date 1499 cast in the field.
The surrounding Latin inscription reads LVGDVN · RE · PVBLICA · GAVDENTE · BIS · ANNA · REGNANTE · BENIGNE · SIC · FVI · CONFLATA · 1499, which translates roughly as While the Republic of Lyon rejoiced in the second reign of good Queen Anne, thus I was cast in 1499.
This legend highlights that Anne was Queen of France for a second time (having been queen consort previously, and again with Louis XII) and that the city of Lyon joyously celebrated her return.
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