To commemorate the gift of his chateau de Chantilly to the nation, by the Duc d'Aumale on his banishment in 1886
Medium
Bronze, cast - double
Dimensions
Diameter: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 1893
Accession Number
93.10.46a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze medal, struck in 1886 by the renowned French engraver Julesément Chaplain, commemorates a poignant moment in French history: the Duc d'Aumale's generous gift of his beloved Château de Chantilly to French nation amid his banishment. Henri d'Orléans, the and son of King Louis-Philippe, transformed the historic estate into a treasure trove of art and architecture. Facing political exile during the turbulent Third Republic, he ensured its legacy as a public cultural institution, now home to the Musée Condé and its world-class collections. Chaplain, a master of the medal genr...
About the Artist
Jules-Clément Chaplain · 1839–1909
Jules-Clément Chaplain (1839–1909) was a French engraver and medallist who became the most celebrated practitioner of the art medal in late nineteenth-century France. Born in Mortagne-au-Perche in Normandy, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Jouffroy and Oudiné and won the Prix de Rome for engraving in 1863, which enabled him to study in Italy for several years. Chaplain's work...