Pro Patria Medal

Joseph E. Renier, Pro Patria Medal, 1941, bronze, 2 ⁷⁄₈ in. (7.4 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Renier, 1967.93.58

Artwork Details

Title: Pro Patria Medal
Artist: Joseph E. Renier
Founder: Medallic Art Company
Date: 1941
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 2 ⁷⁄₈ in. (7.4 cm) diam.
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Joseph Renier
Mediums: bronze
Mediums Description: bronze
Classifications: Sculpture
Medal
Subjects: Mythology — classical — Prometheus
Figure group — female and child
Animal — bird — eagle
Figure male — nude
Figure male — full length
Object Number: 1967.93.58
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.93.58

Artwork Description

Joseph Renier dedicated this medal “to all those who contribute their something to life, with the hope for the future, of the country and of humanity . . .” His words echo the Latin inscriptions meaning “For Country” and “For Humanity” that appear on the obverse and reverse of his design. Throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s, the theme of the mother and child appeared in sculptures, paintings, and posters praising the American way of life, especially as the dangers of European fascism grew stronger. On the reverse, the eagle devouring the body of Prometheus may be a reference to the German eagles displayed by the Nazi regime, which threatened the Western world when Renier designed this medal.