Bonaparte Proclaimed Emperor, 1804
Medium
Gilt bronze, struck
Dimensions
Diameter: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Hon. Levi P. Morton, 1885
Accession Number
85.2.77
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Behold the gleaming *Bonaparte Proclaimed Emperor,1804*, a exquisite gilt bronze medal that captures a pivotal moment in French history Struck to commemorate Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation as Emperor of the French on December 2, 1804, this small yet monumental plaquette (just 1 5/8 inches in diameter) served as official propaganda, distributing the emperor's image far and wide. Produced by the Paris Mint, it the era's fervor for Napoleon's transformation of the French Republic into an empire, blending revolutionary ideals with imperial splendor. Crafted by a stellar team—engravers Bertrand Andrieu and Romain-Vincent Jeuffroy, under the direction of Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, Napoleon's influential arts director—the medal showcases virtuoso techniques. The gilt bronze surface, struck from precisely engraved dies, yields intricate details: Napoleon's profile in regal profile, laurel wreaths, and symbolic motifs evoking ancient Roman emperors. Such medals were prized collectibles, blending sculpture's artistry with numismatics' precision. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department (gift of Hon. Levi P. Morton, 1885), this piece illuminates 19th-century France's cultural shift toward neoclassicism and state-sponsored art. A tiny testament to ambition, it invites you to ponder how portable treasures like this shaped public devotion to the Corsican conqueror.
About the Artist
Bertrand Andrieu|Romain-Vincent Jeuffroy|baron Dominique Vivant Denon|Paris Mint · 1761–1822
French, Bordeaux 1761–1822 Paris