The Peninsular War Medal
1848
Medium
Bronze
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
X.14.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
The Peninsular War Medal, created in bronze by British medallist William Wyon in 1848, commemorates the grueling campaigns fought by British and allied forces against Napoleon’s in Spain and Portugal between 1807 and 1814. Wyon, a leading figure in nineteenth-century medal engraving and a member of the distinguished Wyon family of artists, was celebrated for his precise neoclassical style and technical mastery. The medal’s profile portraits reflect the traditional format of military honors, emphasizing dignity and remembrance. As a work in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of European Scul...
About the Artist
William Wyon · 1795–1851
British, Birmingham 1795–1851 Brighton