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France - 1793

Death of Louis XVI - (Lienard)

Obverse:

Bust of Louis XVI, left.

Legend:

LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCAIS NE A VERSA^LES LE 25 AOUT 1754.

Exergue:

DECAPITÉ A PARIS / LE 21 JANVIER 1793.

Size:

45.8 mm.

Reverse:

Within closed laurel wreath in 8 lines: MEDAILLIER / GÉNÉRAL / DES HOMMES ILLUSTRES / CÉLÈBRES OU FAMEUX / ANCIENS ET MODERNES / COMMENCE EN 1801 / PAR P. G. LIENARD / A PARIS.

Vern's Comments:

While Forrer describes this series that began production in 1801 interestingly enough his experience was oval repoussé style, this piece is clearly neither. Hennin 494 shows an almost identical style but, again, H494 is uniface and almost 3mm smaller. What is clear is that it was post-1801 and possibly as late as the later 1810s when the political culture would let Louis XVI to be depicted. All in all, fascinating!

Forrer, Vol. III pp. 435-436

LIENARD, P. G. (French). Medallist of the early part of the nineteenth century, residing at Paris, who issued a large series of oval Portrait-plaques, uniface, of celebrated Men, ancient and modern. One of these bears the reverse inscription : MEDAILLEUR GENERAL DES HOMMES CELEBRES OU FAMEUX ANCIENS ET MODERNES COMMENCE EN 1801 PAR P. G. LIENARD A PARIS.
The series is a very large one; the plaques are oval in shape and of repoussé work, generally with the name of the person represented. The following have come under my notice : Napoleon I. (many varieties); - Empress Josephine; - Empress Marie-Louise; - Louis Napoleon, King of Holland; --, Queen Hortense; - Joseph Napoleon, King of Spain; - Jerome Napoleon, King of Westphalia. - Prince Murat; - Bernadette, Prince of Ponte Corvo, 1806; - J.B. Jules Bernadotte, Prince Royal of Sweden, 1810; - Queen Caroline; - Princess Borghese; - Princess Pauline; - Marshal Oudinot, Duke of Reggio; - Prince Lebrun, Duke of Placencia; - Massena, Prince of Esslingen; - Marshal Ney; - Marshal Soult; - The Duke of Wellington; &c., and many other portraits of ancient and modern Emperors and Empresses, Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Generals and Admirals; also Painters, as P. P. Rubens, Sculptors, Architects, &c.
Bramsen, Medaillier Napoléon le Grand, Copenhagen, 1904, describes the following productions of Lienard : 1799. Cambaceres ;Lebrun;- 1800. Death of General Desaix at Marengo(5 var.); Assassination of Kleber (4 var.); - Homage to Napoleon (3 var.); - 1806. Louis Napoleon, King of Holland; - Hortense, Queen of Holland; - General L. G. Suchet; - 1807. Death of Count de Portalis (2 var.); - The Empress Josephine; - 1806. Death of Cardinal de Belloy; - Alexander I., Czar of Russia; - The Queen of Prussia ; - Camille, Prince Borghese; - Pauline, Princess Borghese; - Amelia, Vice-queen of Italy; - Marshal Ney; - General Junot (2 var.); - General Hullin; - Français, directeur des droits réunis (2 var.); - 1809. Charles Louis, Archduke of Austria; - The King of Saxony; - The King of Wurtemberg; Henri IV.; - Turenne (2 var.); - Abbe de l'Epee (2 var.), etc.

Hennin:

N^o. 494. Pl. 47.

21 Janvier 1793.

Cliché.

Louis XVI né à Vers^ailles..
℞ Sans revers.

Dans un large liseré : LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRAN^CAIS NÉ A VER^SAILLES LE 23 AOÛT 1754. Buste de Louis XVI à gauche. En bas : DÉCAPITÉ A PARIS LE 21 JANVIER 1793.

Sans revers [42^m].

Voyez l’article de la médaille N°. 465.
Cette pièce a été publiée sous le gouvernement directorial ou sous le consulat.

Death of Louis XVI - (Lienard)