Medal to Captain Duncan N. Ingraham

Art Historical Context

This striking bronze medal, measuring 4 inches in diameter, honors Captain Duncan N. Ingraham of the U.S. Navy for his daring actions in 1853 during the Koszta Affair in Smyrna (modern-day İzmir, Turkey). Ingraham commanded the USS *St. Louis* and confronted the Austrian warship *Hussar* to secure the release of Martin Koszta, a Hungarian refugee seeking U.S. protection. The incident underscored America's growing commitment to defending its citizens abroad amid rising global tensions, earning Ingraham widespread acclaim and this commemorative piece struck in 1854. Designed by Seth Eastman, a noted painter of American military and frontier scenes, and masterfully engraved by James Barton Longacre, the chief engraver of the U.S. Mint, the medal exemplifies 19th-century neoclassical techniques in relief sculpture. Its detailed depictions of ships—likely referencing the naval standoff—highlight the era's fascination with maritime heroism and precision metalwork. Cast in bronze, it served as a presentation medal, blending artistic excellence with patriotic symbolism. Housed in The American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, thanks to a gift from William H. Huntington in 1883, this artifact offers visitors a tangible link to mid-19th-century U.S. naval pride and the artistry of its engravers.