CAMEO DEPICTS NAPOLEON AND MARIE LOUISE

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V20 2017 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 20, Number 1, January 2, 2017, Article 21

In last week's article on the Newman engraving company proof sample sheets, one of the sheets (lot 91333) was described as having a "large cameo profile medallion of Napoleon and Josephine at the center..." and another (lot 91335) was described as having a "four Napoleon cameos surrounding the titled cameo of left-facing Josephine." Some sharp-eyed readers suggest a different attribution. -Editor

The beautiful prints from Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer feature Napoleon and Marie-Louise, his second wife, who was an Austrian Princess. Here are some links.

Here's another image with the conjoined busts medal from Ben Weiss's Historical Art Medals site. In this second medal the busts face left, a mirror image of the cameo on the proof sheet. I think this one more closely resembles the proof sheet image, just in reverse. -Editor

MARRIAGE OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO MARIE LOUISE IN PARIS
ANDRIEU, Bertrand: France, 1810, Lead-filled Bronze, 141 mm
Obv: High relief conjoined busts (l)
Rev: Uniface
Signed: ANDRIEU FECIT.
Bronzed-lead uniface cliché, part of boxed set
Ref: Forrer I, p.54; Weiss BW376

The Emperor Napoleon married the Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria in 1810.

To read the complete web page, see:
MARRIAGE OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO MARIE LOUISE IN PARIS (www.historicalartmedals.com/MEDAL%20WEB%20ENTRIES/FRANCE/
NAPOLEONIC%20MEDALS/ANDRIEU-MARRIAGE%20OF%20NAPOLEON%20TO%20
MARIE%20LOUISE-BW376%20HIGH.htm)

Julia Purdy agrees with Herman. Citing the same CoinsWeekly article, she writes:

I do not think that Josephine is the cameo depicted on these proof sheets, but instead Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Napoleon's second wife. See this Bronze medal: Wedding of Napoleon with Marie Louise von Österreich, 1810. © Liechtenstein National Museum. which is a depiction of the couple upon their marriage which appears to closely resemble the cameos on the sheet.

I looked at the Heritage lot 91335 image with the full magnification and the central medallion actually says "MARIE LOUISE" in mirror image.

So - the Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer engraver likely directly copied the medals onto the engraving plate, resulting in the mirror image when printed. Now thanks to Julia, here's the matching medal with this image of Marie Louise alone, also from Ben Weiss's site.

ANDRIEU, Bertrand: France, 1810, Lead-filled Bronze, 68 mm
Obv: Bust of Marie Louise (l) MARIE LOUISE IMPERATRICE.
Rev: Uniface
Signed: ANDRIEU. F.
Lead-filled bronze cliché, part of boxed set
Ref: Forrer I, p54; Bramsen 1028; Julius 2360; TN. 41.6; Weiss BW389

Marie Louise (1791-1847), French Empress, the second wife of Napoleon I, was the daughter of Francis II, Emperor of Austria, and Theresa of Naples. The marriage took place by proxy in 1810, the year in which this medal was issued. Their son was to bear the empty titles of "King of Rome" and "Napoleon II". Marie Louise acted briefly as regent during Napoleon's absence on campaigns. Alienated from him in 1814, the time of Napoleon's first abdication, she was later made Duchess of Parma. During her rule in Parma she established the equality of women in heritage and ordered the compilation of a civil code.

To read the complete web page, see:
MARIE LOUISE, IMPERATRICE (www.historicalartmedals.com/MEDAL%20WEB%20ENTRIES/FRANCE
/NAPOLEONIC%20MEDALS/ANDRIEU-MARIE%20LOUISE-BW389%20HIGH.htm)

It is in the boxed set too - That boxed set is awesome!

Perhaps the engraver or his employer owned a set of the Andrieu Napoleonic medals. What were the copyright laws of the day - is making a new engraving of someone else's medal design fair play?

Thanks everyone - great numismatic detective work! We've mentioned Ben's site before, but it's high time to revisit it. See this week's Featured Web Site article. -Editor