January 3, 2013 – In November and December 2012 a series of exhibitions on French medallic art in the 19th and 20th century began. It will show in various cities in France (including Paris, Lyon, Lille and Bordeaux). The title of the exhibitions is ‘Au creux de la main: La médaille en France aux XIXe et XXe siècles’.
Henri Dropsy, Eve et le Serpent, c1920. Bronze.
There have not been many similar exhibitions in the last 100 years, and this is indeed a unique opportunity to see some wonderful selections of the collections of the museums involved.
Shortly we present the museums participating in this exhibition project. For more detailed information you can consult their website.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Bordeaux) – December 14, 2012 until March 18, 2013
The exhibition is organized together with the Paris Mint, which currently does not dispose of any facilities in Paris (building under renovation). The mise-en-scene is made by famous French designer Christian Lacroix. The focus of the exhibition will be the role of the Paris Mint in the promotion of medallic art in 19th and 20th century, and the famous Société des Amis de la Médaille Française founded by art critic Roger Marx in 1899.
Alexandre Charpentier, Société des amis des livres, 1898. Bronze.
Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts (Paris) – December 11, 2012 until June 30, 2013
Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris) – December 11, 2012 until April 7, 2013
On display are cast medals by Jules-Clément Chaplain, Oscar Roty and Jean-Baptiste Daniel-Dupuis, the ‘metallic history of war’ by Pierre Roche and pieces by medallists from the 1920s like Paul-Marcel Dammann, Claude-Léon Mascaux, and Pierre Turin.
Coudray, Orphée, 1899. Bronze.
Musée d’Orsay (Paris) – December 11, 2012 until June 9, 2013
The famous museum is the main organizer of the exhibitions.
Palais des Beaux-Arts (Lille) – December 13, 2012 until June 30, 2013
The exhibition will focus on the important collection of the museum, which was based on important donations by baron Alphonse de Rothschild from 1880 until 1914. Visitors have the opportunity to see works by Jules-Clément Chaplain, Oscar Roty, Fréderic de Vernon and especially Hippolyte Lefebvre (who was born in Lille).
F. de Vernon, Premier baiser, no year. Gilded copper.
Musée des Beaux-Arts (Lyon) – November 28, 2012 until August 31, 2013
On the occasion of the exhibitions, the museums are publishing a catalogue under the title ‘Au creux de la main. La médaille en France aux XIXe et XXe siècles.‘ (Editor: Musée d’Orsay / Skira Flammarion, 228 pages, 320 illustrations).
Many objects, particularly on display at the Bordeaux Museum, are from the Monnaie de Paris.