Royal visits became the occasion for lavish civic festivities, and medals were produced to commemorate these events. A gold version of this double-sided medal was presented to Anne of Brittany when she arrived with Louis XII in Lyons in March 1500. The rule of the French king is glorified by the inscription: "In the blessed reign of Louis XII, a second Caesar, the entire Nation rejoices." The couple is portrayed in profile against fields sown with fleur-de-lis, emblem of the French monarchy, and ermine tails, emblem of Brittany, while the lion at the bottom refers to the city of Lyons.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
Artwork Details
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title:Medal Louis XII, King of France (r. 1498–15155), and Anne of Brittany (1476–1514)
Date:ca. 1499
Geography:Made in Lyon, France
Culture:French
Medium:Copper alloy
Dimensions:Overall: diam. 4 1/2 x 5/8 in. (11.4 x 1.6 cm)
Classifications:Metalwork-Copper alloy, Medals and Plaquettes
Credit Line:Gift of George and Florence Blumenthal, 1935
Accession Number:35.77
Inscription: (Obverse, legend): + FELICE . LVDOVICO . REGNA[N]TE . DVODECIMO . C[A]ESARE . ALTERO . GAVDET . OMNIS . NACIO [NATIO] [image of lion] ([image of cross] The whole nation rejoices because of the second Caesar, the fortunate Louis XII, reigning [image of lion])
(Reverse, legend): + LVGDVN[I] . RE . PVBLICA . GAVDE[N]TE . BIS . ANNA . REGNANTE . BENIGNE . SIC . FVI . CONFL . ATA . 1499 [image of lion] ([image of cross] [When the] nation of Lyon is rejoicing for the second time, when Anne is favorably reigning, thus I was cast, 1499 [image of lion])
George and Florence Blumenthal, Paris and New York (until 1935)
Lawrence, KS. University of Kansas Museum of Art. "The Waning Middle Ages, an exhibition of French and Netherlandish Art from 1350-1500," November 1, 1969–December 1, 1969.
New York. The Cloisters Museum & Gardens. "The Secular Spirit: Life and Art at the End of the Middle Ages," March 28–June 15, 1975.
The Katonah Gallery. "Medieval Images: a glimpse into the symbolism and reality of the Middle ages," May 12–May 21, 1978.
Aspen Center for the Visual Arts. "Medieval Images," November 25, 1979–January 27, 1980.
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. "The Currency of Fame: Portrait Medals of the Renaissance," January 23May 1, 1994.
Frick Collection. "The Currency of Fame: Portrait Medals of the Renaissance," May 24–August 22, 1994.
National Gallery of Scotland. "The Currency of Fame: Portrait Medals of the Renaissance," Sep-13-1994–December 20, 1994.
Rubinstein-Bloch, Stella. Catalogue of the Collection of George and Florence Blumenthal, New York: Volume 2, Sculpture and Bronzes, Mediaeval and Renaissance. Paris: A. Lévy, 1926. pl. XLV.
Schrader, J. L., ed. The Waning Middle Ages, an Exhibition of French and Netherlandish Art from 1350-1500: Commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Publication of "The Waning of the Middle Ages" by Johan Huizinga. Lawrence, Kans.: University of Kansas Museum of Art, 1969. no. 107, pp. 86–87, pl. LXVIII.
Husband, Timothy B., and Jane Hayward, ed. The Secular Spirit: Life and Art at the End of the Middle Ages. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1975. no. 252, p. 256.
Gómez-Moreno, Carmen, ed. Medieval Images: A Glimpse into the Symbolism and Reality of the Middle Ages. Katonah: Katonah Museum of Art, 1978. no. 33, pp. 12, 21.
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world, encompassing the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome to the beginning of the Renaissance.
