Medallion plaque to celebrate the marriage of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Archduchess Marie-Louise
19th century
Medium
Bronze, cast
Dimensions
Diameter: 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick S. Wait, 1907
Accession Number
07.251.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant bronze medallion, by French medalist Bertrandieu in the early nineteenth century, commemorates the 1810 marriage of Napoleon Bonaparte to Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria. Cast in Paris as part of a tradition of official commemorative medals, the circular plaque captures the couple in profile, symbolizing the political alliance that briefly strengthened Napoleon’s empire. Such works were distributed to dignitaries and collectors, transforming a personal union into a public statement of imperial power and stability. Andrieu, a leading figure in Napoleonic medal production, spec...
About the Artist
Bertrand Andrieu · 1761–1822
French, Bordeaux 1761–1822 Paris