TI1E NAPOLEON MEDALS.
'DE appearance of a work of this kind makes strikingly evident the value of the ingenious mechanical process invented by ACHILLES Courts, for engraving fac-similes of medals and bus-reliefs in light and shade, with minute and unfailing accuracy. The advantages of a cabinet of medals are thus placed within the reach of every person possessing a library ; for to all purposes of utility these numismatic plates are as serviceable as the medals themselves. Many, indeed, would prefer perusing the medallic history of NAPOLEON'S reign in this complete and chronologically arranged collection, with the ac- companiments of classified indices and descriptive notices of each, to inspecting the medals themselves. Publications of this kind, however, will tend to increase the number of collections of medals, by giving more persons an interest in the study.
The volume contains forty folio plates, comprising fac-similes of nearly six hundred medals and jettons, bringing down the series to 1810: the remainder will be included in a second volume. It will be the only entire collection that has appeared of the Napoleon medals ; and the engravings are infinitely superior to any that have been pub- lished: for the most perfect and delicate engraving, whether in outline or shaded, cannot attain to the unerring precision of these fac-similes, in which the beauties and defects of the original are alike inevitably preserved; and the appearance of relief is imitated to illusion.
Without pretending to criticize the design and execution of the Napo- leon Medals, at this time of day, we may remark what struck uses singu- lar—that among the great munber of profiles of BONAPARTE, almost as various as they are nemerous, scarcely one conveys a true idea of his physiognomy : many are even uncharacteristic, and some ludicrously dis- torted. The medallists seem to have been bent on impttaltizing the face; they appear to have thought more about making the man look like another C'teser, than what he was : such at least is the only explanation we can suggest of this extraordinary circumstance. The other great men seem to fare better, because this classic flattery was not essential. The profile bust of Josephine, in the first plate, is one of the sweetest and most unaffectedly graceful heads ever modelled— the artist's name is not mentioned ; and a large one of Maria Leuisa, in the la-.t plate but one, (49,) is inimitable fur the mixture of freedom and precision in the outline and boldness and delicacy in the model. ling : this last is by Bosio, a sculptor of eminence. One of the most elegant heath; is that of Nelson, in plate 9th ; which we were pleased to find in an English medal the likeness and character of the head are faithfully preserved, and an air of grace and dignity is given to the bust.
Among the adulatory devices, are two that even the strong stomach
of BONAPARTE could hardly have digested : one endow s him with " the goodness of Titus, the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, and the genius of Charlemagne ; " and the other represents him as the honest man found by DIOGENES, who is blowing out his lantern : this looks almost like a
covert sarcasm. The medal inscribed " Frappee r Londres in (of which only two were struck,) is a satire upon the weakness of the spoiled child of conquest, who, because he overthrew kings and de- feated armies, thought be could subdue nations. The execution of the plates appears unequal, the medals not being all equally well adapted to the process of copying : those that are in the highest relief appear to the least advantage, for the deflection of the lines is so great that the forms become indistinct and distorted. Those that are in low flat relief, with an abrupt edge, show the best ; and such as have sharpness of outline and delicacy of detail appear beautifully clear. In some instances, where the lines are drawn horizontally instead of vertically, showing the light at top instead of on one side, the inscriptions are almost illegible, the letters appearing as if they projected obliquely from the ground : and the general effect is by no means so good as in those where the light and shade are shown late- rally.
Previous page
