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France - 1805

L'École des Mines du Mont-Blanc

Obverse
Obverse:
the Head of Napoleon, encircled with a laurel wreath.
Legend:
NAPOLEON EMPEREUR. E, DENON DIR. ANDRIEU F.
Size:
40 mm.
Reverse
Reverse:
a figure, of colossal size, emblematically representing the mountain of Mont-Blanc; he appears as an old man, in a crouching attitude, blind from age, his head bald, which penetrates, and is capped with clouds, his beard long, and flowing to the base of the mountain, which is washed by the sea, on which his left foot rests; his right hand grasps a mountain steep, under which appears a cavern, where miners are seen at their various occupations; his left, in repose, lies across his left thigh.
Exergue:
BRENET F. DENON D. ECOLE DES MINES DU MONT-BLANC.

Laskey:

This medal was struck on the establishment of schools for the instruction of students in the art of mining and mineralogy.

 
The ancients had their mountain gods, and also mountain goddesses; one of these latter, Rhodope, a mountain of Thrace, may be seen on a medal of Antoninus Pius, where she appears in a crouching attitude, and almost naked.
 
There is a modern statue, representing the Apennine mountains, by John de Bologna, at Florence, designated Father Apenninus; it represents the loftiest of the ridge of these mountains, which runs through the middle of Italy, from Liguria to Ariminum and Ancona, and joins the Alps. If standing erect, it proportional height would be about sixty feet. We are not quite certain if this is not the representation of this statue, and depicted here as the hoary headed Mont-Blanc, whose bald summit penetrates the clouds.

Bramsen:

Bramsen - 471
Ecole des mines du Mont-Blanc. (Brenet.)
NAPOLEON EMPEREUR. Tête laurée, à droite.
Rev: Le Mont-Blanc sous les traits d'un géant accroupi sur des rochers. Le sommet de sa tête chauve est caché dans les nuages. Sa main droite s'appuie sur un rocher sous lequel travaillent des mineurs. Devant lui est un autre rocher, et à ses pieds coule un fleuve.
Exergue: ECOLE DES MINES DU MONT BLANC.
Médaille, 40 mm. - T. N. 8, 9; H. m. 23, 79; M. F. 351, 21.

d'Essling:

d'Essling - 1121
École des mines du Mont-Blanc (Andrieu et Brenet).
Tête laurée de Nap. à dr.
R. Le géant du Mont-Blanc accroupi sur des rochers. A g., sous une roche, galerie et mineurs
(TN 8.9 - M. 79 - B. 471). Arg. et br. 41 mm.