Victor Emanuel's Visit to the Corporation of London
1855
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 2 7/8 in. (73 mm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Assunta Sommella Peluso, Ada Peluso, and Romano I. Peluso, in memory of Ignazio Peluso, 2000
Accession Number
2000.601.3
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This bronze medal, crafted by British medallist Benjamin Wyon in 1855, commemorates the visit of Victor Emmanuel—then King of Sardinia—to the Corporation of London. Measuring just under three inches in diameter, the work exemplifies the tradition of struck medals as portable records of significant diplomatic and civic events. Wyon’s design, featuring profile portraits of men, captures the formal elegance typical of 19th-century British medallic art, where precise engraving translated important moments into enduring objects. Medals like this one served both as souvenirs and symbols of alliance during a period of shifting European relations. Victor Emmanuel’s 1855 journey strengthened ties between Britain and the Italian states amid the Crimean War, and the Corporation of London’s official welcome underscored the city’s role in fostering international goodwill. The bronze medium allowed for detailed relief work that could be reproduced and distributed, making the event accessible beyond those present. Today, this piece in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection offers a tangible link to mid-Victorian diplomacy and the refined craftsmanship of the Wyon family, whose medals chronicled Britain’s public life with quiet authority.
About the Artist
Benjamin Wyon · 1802–1858
British, London 1802–1858 London