Intocht van Lodewijk XVIII

About this artwork

Gift of J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff

Art Historical Context

This striking medal, created by French medallist Bertrand Andrieu in 1815, commemorates the triumphant return of King Louis XVIII to Paris following Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo. Titled *Intocht van Lodewijk XVIII* (“Entry of Louis XVIII”), the work captures a pivotal moment in European history—the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration. With a diameter of just five centimeters, the piece exemplifies the tradition of struck medals as portable records of political change, allowing the events of 1815 to be celebrated and disseminated among supporters of the restored monarchy. Andrieu, renowned for his precise neoclassical style and work under both the Empire and the Restoration, employed the demanding technique of metal striking to achieve sharp relief and lasting durability. Such medals served not only as artistic objects but also as instruments of political messaging, linking royal authority to public memory. Donated to the collection by J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff, this example preserves a tangible connection to the complex transition from revolutionary turmoil to monarchical renewal in nineteenth-century France.

About the Artist

Bertrand Andrieu · 1761–1822

French, Bordeaux 1761–1822 Paris