Edward IV, 1442-1483, King of England 1461 [obverse]
1731
![Edward IV, 1442-1483, King of England 1461 [obverse] by Jean Dassier](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/edward-iv-1442-1483-king-of-england-1461-obverse-nga-110737.webp)
Medium
gilded bronze
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 4.11 cm (1 5/8 in.) gross weight: 32.89 gr (0.073 lb.) axis: 12:00
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Lisa and Leonard Baskin
Accession Number
1999.109.5.a
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gilded bronze medal, crafted by Swiss medalist Jean Dassier in1731, immortalizes Edward IV (1442–1483), the Yorkist king who seized England's throne in 1461 the Wars of the Roses. Measuring just 4.11 cm in diameter and weighing nearly 33 grams, its obverse likely features a detailed portrait of the monarch, capturing his pivotal role in a turbulent era of civil strife that reshaped English monarchy. Dassier, renowned for his family’s series of historical medals depicting rulers and luminaries, employed masterful intaglio techniques to strike this piece from bronze, then gilded ...