Service of Thanksgiving for Recovery of Prince of Wales medal
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 3 1/16 in. (78 mm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Assunta Sommella Peluso, Ada Peluso, and Romano I. Peluso, in memory of Ignazio Peluso, 2003
Accession Number
2003.406.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medal, struck in 1872 by the Wyon family of engravers—Joseph Shepherdon and J.B. Wyon—commemorates the joyous Service of Thanksgiving held at St. Paul's Cathedral in. It celebrates the dramatic recovery of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King VII), from a life-threatening bout of typhoid fever earlier that year. The prince's illness had gripped the nation in anxiety, echoing the tragic death of his father, Prince Albert, from the disease a decade prior. His survival sparked widespread relief, with massive crowds gathering for prayers of gratitude, a scene vividly ev...
About the Artist
Joseph Shepherd Wyon|J. B. Wyon · 1836–1873
British, London 1836–1873 Winchester|British