Verdun Medal #B (obverse)

Anthony de Francisci, Verdun Medal #B (obverse), 1920, gilded bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Anthony de Francisci, 1966.51.62
Anthony de Francisci, Verdun Medal #B (obverse), 1920, gilded bronze, 4 in. (10.2 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Anthony de Francisci, 1966.51.62

Artwork Details

Title
Verdun Medal #B (obverse)
Artist
Date
1920
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
4 in. (10.2 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Anthony de Francisci
Mediums
Mediums Description
gilded bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — bird — eagle
  • Animal — bird — chicken
  • Allegory — place — Verdun
  • History — France — World War I
  • Emblem — star
Object Number
1966.51.62
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.51.62

Artwork Description

In 1920, Congress authorized a special gold medal honoring the sacrifice of the citizens of the French city of Verdun during World War I. The Battle of Verdun was one of the most devastating of the war and led to approximately 800,000 casualties. The United States Commission of Fine Arts, established by Congress in 1910, held a limited competition for medal designs in early 1920. Anthony de Francisci submitted two designs for the obverse of the coin. In this artist’s strike, or sample, the American eagle and the French cockerel hold aloft the olive branch of peace over the ramparts of Verdun.