Made for the Administration de la Monnaie et Paris: entitled La Peinture
late 19th century
Medium
Bronze, struck, oblong, octagon, double
Dimensions
2 1/16 × 1 5/8 in. (5.2 × 4.1 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Victor D. Brenner, 1903
Accession Number
03.7.29
Tags
Art Historical Context
Discover the exquisite bronze medal *La Peinture*, crafted by French sculptor and medallist Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charier in the late 19th century Commissioned by the Administration de la Monnaie de Paris—the prestigious Paris Mint—this small, struck bronze plaquette measures just over 2 inches across its unique oblong octagonal form. Double-sided and featuring detailed male profiles, it exemplifies the refined artistry of French medal-making during a golden age of small-scale sculpture. Charpentier, a master of Art Nouveau influences, brought his expertise in symbolic portraiture to this pie...
About the Artist
Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier · 1856–1909
Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier (1856–1909) was a French sculptor, medallist, and decorative artist who became an important figure in the Art Nouveau movement. Born in Paris, he trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and early in his career established a reputation as a skilled sculptor and medallist, winning the Prix de Rome in engraving in 1881. Charpentier became a leading practitioner of the a...