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Henry IV: Six members of royal family killed during French Revolution
French
1820
Medium/Technique
Metal; bronze
Dimensions
Diameter and weight: 57 mm (2 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of J. B. How
Accession Number17.156
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsNumismatics – Medals
DescriptionCircular medal showing Henry IV (1553-1610), king of France, and six members of the royal family killed during the French Revolution.
Obverse: Six profile busts surrounding central profile bust of Henry IV, each set into own medallion; moving clockwise, bust of Louis XVII looking to proper right, bust of Marie Antoinette looking to proper right, bust of Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc d'Enghien looking to proper right, bust of Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélène of France looking to proper left, Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry, looking to proper left, and bust of Louis XVI looking to proper left; inscribed at edge of each portrait medallion; at center "HENRI IV ROI DE FRAN.NE EN 1558 MORT EN 1610", moving clockwise starting at upper proper left: "LOUIS XVII ROI DE FR.NE EN 1785 MORT EN 1795", "M.ANTOIN.REINE DE FR.N.EN 1755 M.EN 1793", "DEB.CONDÉ DUC D'ENG.NE EN 1772 MORT EN 1802", "ELISABETH DE FRANCE NEE EN 1764 M.EN 1794", "C.F.DUC DE BERRY NE EN 1773 MORT EN 1820", and "LOUIS XVI ROI DE F.NE EN 1754 MORT EN 1793"; and below "LEVEQUE EDITEUR".
Reverse: Standing woman wearing a crown and robe, adorned with fleur-de-lis, holding a box and a disk over a tripod burner; inscribed at edge "LE SANG DE VOS ROIS CRIE.ET NEST POINT ÉCOUTÉ.ROMPEX, ROMPEX TOUT PACTE AVEC L'IMPIÉTÉ", on base of tripod burner "CAQUE F.", and in exergue "A LA MEMOIRE DE HENRI IV ET DES AUG.MEMBRE/DE LA FAMILLE ROYALE QUI ONT PERI/VICTIMES DE LA REVOLUTION/1820".
Obverse: Six profile busts surrounding central profile bust of Henry IV, each set into own medallion; moving clockwise, bust of Louis XVII looking to proper right, bust of Marie Antoinette looking to proper right, bust of Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc d'Enghien looking to proper right, bust of Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélène of France looking to proper left, Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry, looking to proper left, and bust of Louis XVI looking to proper left; inscribed at edge of each portrait medallion; at center "HENRI IV ROI DE FRAN.NE EN 1558 MORT EN 1610", moving clockwise starting at upper proper left: "LOUIS XVII ROI DE FR.NE EN 1785 MORT EN 1795", "M.ANTOIN.REINE DE FR.N.EN 1755 M.EN 1793", "DEB.CONDÉ DUC D'ENG.NE EN 1772 MORT EN 1802", "ELISABETH DE FRANCE NEE EN 1764 M.EN 1794", "C.F.DUC DE BERRY NE EN 1773 MORT EN 1820", and "LOUIS XVI ROI DE F.NE EN 1754 MORT EN 1793"; and below "LEVEQUE EDITEUR".
Reverse: Standing woman wearing a crown and robe, adorned with fleur-de-lis, holding a box and a disk over a tripod burner; inscribed at edge "LE SANG DE VOS ROIS CRIE.ET NEST POINT ÉCOUTÉ.ROMPEX, ROMPEX TOUT PACTE AVEC L'IMPIÉTÉ", on base of tripod burner "CAQUE F.", and in exergue "A LA MEMOIRE DE HENRI IV ET DES AUG.MEMBRE/DE LA FAMILLE ROYALE QUI ONT PERI/VICTIMES DE LA REVOLUTION/1820".
InscriptionsObverse: Inscribed at edge of each portrait medallion; at center "HENRI IV ROI DE FRAN.NE EN 1558 MORT EN 1610", moving clockwise starting at upper proper left: "LOUIS XVII ROI DE FR.NE EN 1785 MORT EN 1795", "M.ANTOIN.REINE DE FR.N.EN 1755 M.EN 1793", "DEB.CONDÉ DUC D'ENG.NE EN 1772 MORT EN 1802", "ELISABETH DE FRANCE NEE EN 1764 M.EN 1794", "C.F.DUC DE BERRY NE EN 1773 MORT EN 1820", and "LOUIS XVI ROI DE F.NE EN 1754 MORT EN 1793"; and below "LEVEQUE EDITEUR".
Reverse: Inscribed at edge "LE SANG DE VOS ROIS CRIE.ET NEST POINT ÉCOUTÉ.ROMPEX, ROMPEX TOUT PACTE AVEC L'IMPIÉTÉ", on base of tripod burner "CAQUE F.", and in exergue "A LA MEMOIRE DE HENRI IV ET DES AUG.MEMBRE/DE LA FAMILLE ROYALE QUI ONT PERI/VICTIMES DE LA REVOLUTION/1820".
Reverse: Inscribed at edge "LE SANG DE VOS ROIS CRIE.ET NEST POINT ÉCOUTÉ.ROMPEX, ROMPEX TOUT PACTE AVEC L'IMPIÉTÉ", on base of tripod burner "CAQUE F.", and in exergue "A LA MEMOIRE DE HENRI IV ET DES AUG.MEMBRE/DE LA FAMILLE ROYALE QUI ONT PERI/VICTIMES DE LA REVOLUTION/1820".
ProvenanceBy 1917, J. B. How; 1917, bequest of J. B. How to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 18, 1917)