Centennial of the Bank of France, 1800-1900 [obverse]
1900
![Centennial of the Bank of France, 1800-1900 [obverse] by Louis-Oscar Roty](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/centennial-of-the-bank-of-france-1800-1900-obverse-nga-130157.webp)
Medium
silver
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of David and Constance Yates
Accession Number
2004.49.1.a
Art Historical Context
Celebrate the enduring legacy of France's financial cornerstone with *Centennial of the Bank of France, 1800-1900 [obverse]*, a exquisite silver medal crafted by master engraver Louis-Oscar Roty in 1900. Roty, a leading figure in French numismatics and a pioneer of Art Nouveau influences in medallic art, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Banque de France—founded in 1800 under Napoleon Bonaparte to stabilize the nation's economy amid post-Revolutionary turmoil. This obverse side likely features symbolic motifs honoring the institution's pivotal role in modern banking. Measuring 7 cm in...
About the Artist
Louis-Oscar Roty · 1846–1911
Louis-Oscar Roty, commonly known as Oscar Roty (1846–1911), was born on June 11 in Paris's Belleville neighborhood, the son of a modest schoolmaster. He began his artistic training under Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran at the Petite École (later the École des Arts Décoratifs), honing his drawing skills, before entering the École des Beaux-Arts in 1864. There, he studied sculpture and medal engraving u...