Summary
Portrait medal of François-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name Voltaire (1694-1778) by Francois Caunois. One of the Galerie Metallique des Grand Hommes Francais series. Minted in Paris, 1817.
Obverse Description
Bust facing right; around, AROUET DE VOLTAIRE; on truncation in smaller lettering the artist's name, CAUNOIS F.
Reverse Description
Legend in eight lines: NE / A CHATENAY / PRES PARIS / EN M.DC.XCIV. / MORT / EN M.DC.LXXVIII. / GALERIE METALLIQUE / DES GRAND HOMMES FRANCAIS. / 1817.
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
Voltaire was a French writer, historian and philosopher who wrote more than 2000 books and pamphlets. The pen name Voltaire was an anagram of the Latin form surname (Arovet Li).
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
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Date Issued
1817 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
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Artist
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Person Depicted
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Series
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Material
Bronze
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
42 mm (Outside Diameter), 37.32 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
Pearson, Roger. Voltaire Almighty. Bloomsbury, 2005? Mitford, Nancy. Voltaire in Love. Davidson, Ian. Voltaire in Exile.
