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SIEGE OF THE BASTILLE
ANDRIEU, Bertrand: France, 1789, Lead-filled Bronze, 85
mm
Obv: Scene of siege SIEGE DE LA BASTILLE
Exergue: PRISE PAR LES CITOYENS DE LA VILLE DE PARIS LE 14 J.UET 1789
Rev: Uniface
Signed: ANDRIEU. F. N.O 1
Lead-filled bronze cliché, part of boxed set
Ref: Hennin 23; Julius 14; TN. 6.5; Jones, "Art of the
Medal", 99/253; Europese Penningen # 1683
The dissemination of propaganda was an important aspect
of the French Revolution. It was accomplished through the publication of
prints, which publicized events quickly after they occurred, and through the
issuance of medals, a permanent form of commemoration. These medals were
intended to form part of a set that recalled crucial events in the
Revolution. Although the set was never completed, they do show highly
symbolic moments from the early stages of the uprising that represented the
triumph of the people over the repressive monarchy. This medal depicts the
Siege of the Bastille.
On the morning of 14 July 1789, a crowd advanced on the Bastille, the state
prison. Their purpose to was to ask the governor to release the prisoners
and deliver the weapons held in the building. The governor was evasive and
the people stormed the fortress. The medal vividly captures the scene,
showing the garrison firing onto the crowd pouring into the building over
the broken drawbridge and the National Guard opening a breach in the wall.
The revolutionary government subsequently demolished the Bastille,
thereby reinforcing the idea of overturning the old order and
beginning the "era of liberty", though the
excesses of the revolution led to chaos and often to unjustified executions.
LINK to Napoleonic
Medals (Vern McCrea)
LINK to Medallic
History of Napoleonic Medals (from Fortiter)
LINK to Napoleonic
Medals (from Blackwatch)
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