Victor Hugo (1802–1885)
Medium
Cast bronze
Dimensions
Diameter (confirmed): 6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of David and Constance Yates, 2013
Accession Number
2013.1127.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite cast bronze medal, titled *Victor Hugo (18021885)*, was crafted in 1884 by the French artist Jean-Désiré Ringel d'Ill. Measuring just 6 5/8 inches in, it captures the revered writer's profile in a classical style typical of 19th-century plaquettes—small, sculptural reliefs prized for their intimate portraiture and commemorative power. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, piece exemplifies the medal's role as a portable tribute to cultural icons. Victor Hugo, the towering figure of French Romanticism and author of masterpi...