20-franc piece, year 12A, First Consul
1803–4
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Diameter: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
Classification
Coins
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of C. Ruxton Love Jr., 1967
Accession Number
67.265.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant 20-franc gold coin, struck in 1803–4 by engraver Nicholas-Pierre Tier, chief artist at the Paris Mint.itled *20-franc piece, year 12A, First*, it features a finely detailed profile of Napoleon Bonaparte in his role as First Consul—the powerful leader who had risen from the chaos of the French Revolution to stabilize France. Measuring just 7/8 inch (2.2 cm) in diameter, this tiny gold masterpiece exemplifies the precision of neoclassical coin design, where every laurel wreath and imperial gaze served as subtle propaganda. In the French Republican Calendar, "year 12A" marks A...