In Honor of Jules Simon (French, 1814-1896)
Medium
Bronze, cast - double
Dimensions
Diam. 3-7/8 in. (98 mm.)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 1893
Accession Number
93.10.53a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This bronze medal, created in 1889 by Jules-Clément Chaplain, honors Jules Simon, a prominent French statesman, philosopher, and advocate for education reform during the Third Republic. As a double-sided cast measuring just under four inches across, the work exemplifies the refined tradition of medallic art, where compact portraits captured the likeness and legacy of notable public figures. Chaplain, a leading sculptor of his era, specialized in such commemorative pieces, blending classical profile views with subtle modern detail. Medals like this served both as personal tributes and public r...
About the Artist
Jules-Clément Chaplain · 1839–1909
Jules-Clément Chaplain (1839–1909) was a French engraver and medallist who became the most celebrated practitioner of the art medal in late nineteenth-century France. Born in Mortagne-au-Perche in Normandy, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Jouffroy and Oudiné and won the Prix de Rome for engraving in 1863, which enabled him to study in Italy for several years. Chaplain's work...