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French Bronze Medal: Société Centrale des Architectes Français – Award Token by Oudiné & Labrouste

French Bronze Medal: Société Centrale des Architectes Français – Award Token by Oudiné & Labrouste

$125.00
SKU:
C1529
Maximum Purchase:
1 unit
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French Bronze Medal: Société Centrale des Architectes Français – Award Token by Oudiné & Labrouste

Overview

  • Issuer: Société Centrale des Architectes Français (Central Society of French Architects)

  • Artists / Designers: Eugène-André Oudiné (Sculptor/Medalist) & Pierre-François-Henri Labrouste (Architect)

  • Metal: Bronze

  • Weight: 16.2 grams

  • Diameter: 33 mm (approx. 1.3 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

Offered here is a fine and historically rich French bronze medal created for the Société Centrale des Architectes Français. Designed by two towering figures of 19th-century French culture—master sculptor Eugène-André Oudiné and pioneering rationalist architect Henri Labrouste—this piece bridges the worlds of neoclassical art and architectural history.

Measuring 33 mm and struck in quality art bronze by the official Paris Mint, this piece served as an esteemed society token or award medal given to distinguished practitioners of the building arts.

Design & Iconography

  • Obverse: Features the allegorical female figure of Architecture, distinctively crowned with a mural diadem featuring a harmonious blend of architectural styles: a Greek temple, a church, and a mosque, symbolizing humanity's global architectural heritage. A drafting compass is visible in the field. The piece is a collaborative testament signed by the creators.

  • Reverse: Displays central symbols of the profession, featuring a drafting compass and a stylized flower, surrounded by the formal institutional legend: "SOCIETE CENTRALE DES ARCHITECTES FRANCAIS".

Historical Significance & Makers

  • Eugène-André Oudiné (1810–1887): A celebrated French sculptor and master medallist trained at the École des Beaux-Arts (winning the Prix de Rome in 1831), renowned for his crisp relief work and precision coinage.

  • Henri Labrouste (1801–1875): One of the most influential architects of the 19th century, famous for his rationalist philosophy and groundbreaking use of iron-frame construction in masterpieces like the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris.

  • The Society: The Société Centrale des Architectes Français (founded in 1840) played a vital role in professionalizing architecture, protecting the heritage of the built environment, and honoring those who advanced the craft in France.

Authenticity & Collector Note

Featuring the definitive cornucopia hallmark on the edge, this is an official mid-to-late 20th-century restrike/issue minted from the historic dies at the Monnaie de Paris. It is a wonderful cabinet piece for collectors of architectural memorabilia, École des Beaux-Arts history, or fine French medallic art.

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