POLOGNE - Commemorative gold medal
Rare gold medal by Jean-Auguste BARRE (1811-1896) probably presented to Prince Adam CZARTORYSKI (1770-1861), one of Poland's most important statesmen, by the Société Littéraire Polonaise de Paris, on the occasion of the creation of the Société Historique Polonaise de Paris, on December 24, 1847. It is set in a gold (750 thousandths) pendant medallion.
Obverse with left profile of Prince Adam Czartoryski in bust, signed by Barre below, inscription above VIRTUTI INCOLUMI, below SOCIETAS HISTORICA POLONIA IN DIEM 24 DEC. 1847 PARISIIS F.C. Reverse: Horizontal inscription detailing the Prince's achievements in the Polish-Russian War of 1792, establishment of the University of Vilnius in 1803, defense of national rights at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, etc. Beautiful patina, good condition (extremely rare).
Total weight: 134.3 g. D. 6.1 cm (medal).
History
After the failure of the November 1830 uprising, a large number of patriots left Poland, many of them settling in France. Faced with efforts to Russify the Kingdom of Poland and Germanize the part of the country occupied by Prussia, these emigrants wanted to maintain and develop Polish cultural life and political thought. So, in 1832, they set up a Literary Society, which elected as its first president Prince Adam Czartoryski, former President of the Council of the Government of the Uprising.
In 1847, the Literary Society created its own historical and statistical sections. In 1851, the historical section became an independent historical society. But on February 6, 1854, it merged with the Literary Society to become today's prestigious Polish Historical and Literary Society (SHLP), whose president was Prince Adam Czartoryski and vice-president Adam Mickiewicz.
There are many eminent members of this society. We can't mention them all, but among the thirteen founding members were General Jozef Bem, hero of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Alphonse D'Herbelot, Theodore Morawski, Ludwik Plater, General Jan Uminski and Alexander Walewski. Other well-known members include Frédéric Chopin, Zygmunt Krasinski, Juliusz Slowacki, Joachim Lelewel, Cyprian Kamil Norwid, and generals Jozef Dwernicki and Henryk Dembinski. Many prestigious Frenchmen were also associated with the SHLP. These include the Marquis de la Fayette, David d'Angers, the Marquis de Noailles, Charles de Montalembert, Jules Michelet, Edgar Quinet, Alfred de Vigny, George Sand, Félicité de Lamennais and Prosper Mérimée.
Literature
Czapski 1957, no. 3840.
Estim. 5,000 - 8,000 EUR
