Summary

Australia Victoria
Paris International Exhibition 1878 Prize medal 1878 (AD)
Mint: Paris
Awarded to: St Hubert Vineyard Company

This is a silver prize medal won at the Paris International Exhibition of 1878 by the Victorian winery St. Huberts Vineyard Company. Success in international wine competitions was seen as a key marketing advantage to the Victorian wine makers in the 19th century. St. Hubert's, in the Yarra Valley, was among the more successful wine makers. Established in 1862, it is still in business today. The medal was designed by Jules-Clement Chaplain. This medal marks the emergence of Art Nouveau design in medals. Chaplain retained the basic neo-classical themes - including Victory bearing a wreath - but his depiction is rich with movement and his composition emerges from the background in flowing lines. Chaplain was one of the most significant of a group of Parisian medallists who adapted their designs to make maximum use of new reduction technology, placing Paris again at the centre of the medallic world. In 1877 he was named the official medallist of the French government; in 1878 he was named a chevalier of the Legion of Honor; and in 1881 was given the seat at the Académie des Beaux Arts. He was responsible for the official portraits of every president of the French Republic from Edme Patrice Mac-Mahon in 1877 to Émile Loubet in 1899. He was commissioned to engrave the gold coinage of France; his gold medal commemorating the visit of Czar Nicholas and Czarina Alexandra of Russia to Paris in 1896 was thought to be one of the finest ever struck.

Obverse Description

Laureate bast of France facing left; around, REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE; below in small letters, J.C. CHAPLAIN

Reverse Description

Victory holding wreath and bugle; below Cupin holding plaque named ST. HUBERT /VINEYARD COMPANY; around, EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE * INTERNATIONALE.

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

This medal marks the emergence of Art Nouveau design in medals. Chaplain retained the basic neo-classical themes - including Victory bearing a wreath - but his depiction is rich with movement and his composition emerges from the background in flowing lines. Chaplain was one of the most significant of a group of Parisian medallists who adapted their designs to make maximum use of new reduction technology, placing Paris again at the centre of the medallic world. In 1877 he was named the official medallist of the French government; in 1878 he was named a chevalier of the Legion of Honor; and in 1881 was given the seat at the Académie des Beaux Arts. He was responsible for the official portraits of every president of the French Republic from Edme Patrice Mac-Mahon in 1877 to Émile Loubet in 1899. He was commissioned to engrave the gold coinage of France; his gold medal commemorating the visit of Czar Nicholas and Czarina Alexandra of Russia to Paris in 1896 was thought to be one of the finest ever struck. -Shaples, J., 1990. Medals as Art: Australia and the Meszaros Tradition, p.18; David and Constance Yates, New York, 1997 web site http://www.dcyates.com/medals/article.htm. -D. Tout-Smith 6/1/2004.

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