Design for medal commemorating the capture of Port Mahon

Art Historical Context

This preparatory drawing by French artist Edme Bouchardon captures a design for a commemorative medal marking the capture of Port Mahon. Created in the 18th century with red chalk and a surrounding wash, the work exemplifies the refined draftsmanship of the period. Bouchardon, celebrated for his neoclassical sculptures and detailed studies, employed the sanguine medium here to achieve subtle tonal gradations and precise contours, allowing the composition to translate effectively into the three-dimensional form of struck metal. Such medal designs served as lasting records of military and political events, blending artistic elegance with historical documentation. The circular format and balanced arrangement typical of Bouchardon's approach highlight his skill in adapting monumental themes to a small, portable object. Now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of drawings, this piece offers visitors a glimpse into the collaborative process between sculptors and engravers in 18th-century France. Measuring just over nine inches square, the drawing invites close examination of its delicate lines and shading, revealing how artists like Bouchardon bridged fine art and functional craftsmanship.

About the Artist

Edme Bouchardon · 1698–1762

Born 29 May 1698; died 27 July 1762. Bouchardon was a student of Guillaume Coustou, and won the prix de Rome in 1722. He spent ten years (1722-1732) in Rome, Italy working on various projects for Pope Clement XII. In 1732 Bouchardon was recalled to Paris and named sculptor to the king. Bouchardon became a professor at the Académie Royale in 1746. He worked on an equestrian monument of Louis XV, Ki...