French Bronze Medal: Alphonse de Lamartine – Poet, Author, and Statesman by Borrel
Overview
-
Subject: Alphonse de Lamartine (Poet, Author, and Statesman)
-
Artist / Medalist: Valentin Maurice Borrel (signed Borrel)
-
Metal: Bronze
-
Weight: 68 grams
-
Diameter: 52 mm (approx. 2.1 inches)
-
Condition: [Insert condition here, e.g., Mint / Uncirculated / Fine with light wear]
-
Hallmark: Edge stamped with the official Monnaie de Paris cornucopia (horn of plenty) foundry mark.
Description
Presented here is a magnificent, large-format French bronze art medal honoring Alphonse de Lamartine—one of France's most celebrated romantic poets, literary masters, and pivotal political statesmen.
Struck by the prestigious Monnaie de Paris using original historic dies, this impressive medal measures 52 mm in diameter and weighs a substantial 68 grams. Crafted with high-relief neoclassical detail and a rich bronze finish, it serves as a stunning tribute to a giant of 19th-century French literature and Republican history.
Design & Iconography
-
Obverse: Features a sharp, dignified profile bust of Lamartine capturing his distinguished features and intellectual gravity, signed by the talented 19th-century medalist Valentin Maurice Borrel.
-
Reverse: Commemorates his literary legacy, listing his major masterworks to immortalize his contribution to French poetry and prose.
Historical Significance & Subject
-
Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869): Renowned globally for his sublime romantic poetry (such as his famous collection Méditations poétiques), Lamartine transitioned from a moderate royalist to a champion of social Catholicism and the Republican Left.
-
The 1848 Revolution: Lamartine reached the pinnacle of his political life during the 1848 French Revolution, where he played a central role in founding the Second Republic. He notably fought to preserve the tricolor as the official flag of France and served as Foreign Minister, mediating between the provisional government and the working classes. After running for president in the watershed 1848 election (won by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte), he gracefully retired from politics to focus entirely on his writing.
Authenticity & Collector Note
Bearing the official cornucopia foundry mark on the rim, this is an authentic authorized issue/restrike from the historic archives of the Paris Mint. It is a premier cabinet piece for collectors of French literary memorabilia, 19th-century political history, or fine medallic portraiture.
