Notre Dame te Parijs

About this artwork

diameter 5.9 cm x weight 94.21 gr

Art Historical Context

This exquisite struck medal, created by Belgian medallist Jacob Wiener in 1855, captures the majestic façade of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Measuring just 5.9 centimetres in diameter and weighing 94.21 grams, the piece exemplifies the refined art of metalworking through striking, a technique that presses intricate designs into metal with remarkable precision and durability. Wiener, celebrated for his architectural medals, translated the cathedral’s Gothic splendour—its rose window, twin towers, and sculptural details—into a miniature format that could be held and admired up close. In the mid-nineteenth century, Notre-Dame stood as both a revered medieval monument and a symbol of French national identity, then undergoing extensive restoration under architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Wiener’s medal reflects the era’s growing fascination with historic preservation and the romantic appreciation of Gothic architecture. By rendering such grand structures in portable metal form, he made monumental heritage accessible to collectors and travellers across Europe. Today the medal serves as a charming historical document, preserving the cathedral’s appearance just before its nineteenth-century transformations and offering modern viewers a tactile connection to both Parisian history and the artistry of medallic engraving.

About the Artist

Jacob Wiener · 1815–1899

Jacob Wiener (1815–1899), also known as Jacques Wiener, was a Belgian medallist and engraver of exceptional skill whose work left an indelible mark on 19th-century European numismatic art. Born on February 27, 1815, in Hoerstgen (in present-day Germany), Wiener would become one of Belgium's most distinguished engravers, contributing significantly to the young nation's cultural identity through his...