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France - 1805

Colonne de la Grande Armée

Obverse
Obverse:
Head and legend similar to the preceding.
Reverse
Reverse:
the bronze column erected at Paris in the Place Vendome.
Legend:
COLONNE DE LA GRANDE ARMÉE
Exergue:
CAMPAGNE DE MDCCCV BRENET F. DENON D.

Vern's Comments:

I saw this postcard on ebay and thought of the medal. It appears to be hand water-colored which would argue that it originates in the inter-war period between World Wars I and II. That's a guess of course, I have no expertise in this at all. If anyone has more information; as always, I'll try to get it up onsite.
A watercolored postcard of the column...

Laskey:

The President of the Legislative body having pronounced an eulogy on the splendid qualities of Bonaparte, thus explains the column which this medal was meant to commemorate: he says, "a column has been erected in one of the most magnificent of our squares (Place Vendome); on the bronzes, which are to cover this, our exploits will be engraven; Victory will point to Italy twice subdued; to Vienna, to Berlin, and Warsaw, opening their gates. Frenchmen will view this monument with pride. Let there be engraven on it these memorable words of the Emperor: "I have felt, that in order to be happy, it was necessary for me first to be assured of the happiness of France."

This column, intended to be similar to that erected at Rome, to the honor of Trajan, was ordered to be two metres and seventy-three centimetres in diameter, and twenty metres, seventy-eight centimetres in height; in English measure, the elevation is 123 feet, including the pedestal, which is about twenty-two feet, and from seventeen to twenty in breadth, corresponding with the cornice; the base of the shaft is about twelve feet in diameter; the shaft to be adorned with 108 allegorical figures in bronze, representing the departments of the Republic. On a pedestal at top, is to be placed a pedestrian statue of the Emperor Napoleon; this statue was eleven feet high, and weighed 5112 lbs.; it is now in London. This superb pillar was constructed under the direction of M. Denon, according to the design of M. Lepere the architect; it was begun in the month of August, 1807, and completed in August, 1810. Over the entrance was a tablet with this inscription:-

Napoleo. Imp. Aug.
Monumentum belli Germanici,
Anno MDCCCV.
Trimestri spatio, ducto suo profligati
ex ære capto,
Gloriæ exercitus maximi dicavit.

 

"Napoleon, the august Emperor, has consecrated this pillar to the honour of the grand army: a monument composed of brass, conquered from the enemy during the war in Germany, in 1805; a war which, under his command, was terminated in the space of three months."

A succession of bas reliefs engraved on brass plates, commences from the bottom of the shaft, which retrace in chronological order the principal actions of the campaign of 1805; the first plate begins in a point or apex, and represents the sea bounded by the horizon; ascending in a spiral form, it then takes the figure of an elongated triangle, exhibiting the small and then the larger waves, and lastly, the flotilla at Dunkirk; then the passage of the Rhine at various points, by the whole army, on the 25th, 26th and 27th of September, 1805; a little upon the turn of the pillar, Napoleon and the king of Wirtemberg are seen in interview. On the left, is seen Virtue and Merit in the act of being rewarded, and a dragoon receives the cross of the Legion of Honour from the hands of Napoleon: then appears the representation of the different battles. The 16th plate represents young Dubois, a celebrated fifer; he is seen at the head of his corps. These bas reliefs are divided into compartments, about three feet in length, by three feet eight in breadth, a cordon or spiral garter runs between each of the bas reliefs, and bears the inscription of the action they represent.
 

Bramsen:

Bramsen - 463
Colonne de la Grande Armée (Brenet).
NAPOLEON EMP. ET ROI. Tête laurée, à droite. Rev: COLONNE DE LA GRANDE ARMÉE. La Place Vendôme et la colonne avec la statue en pied de Napoléon, en costume antique.
Exergue: CAMPAGNE DE MDCCCV.
Médaille, 40mm. - T.N. 11, 13; H. m. 36, 123; M.F. 358, 43.

d'Essling:

d'Essling - 1118
Colonne de la Grande Armée (Andrieu et Brenet).
Tête de Nap. à dr. R. Colonne de la place Vendôme
(TN 11.13 - M. 123 - B. 463) Arg et br. 41 mm. 3 p. (2 var. d'avers) et moule en étain du revers.