medal
- Museum number
- G3,IP.1089
- Description
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Bronze medal; cast and chased. (whole)
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Bust of Sir Christopher Wren, left, hair long, in vest and loose mantle. (obverse)
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The west front of St. Paul's Cathedral. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1783
- Dimensions
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Diameter: 92.000 millimetres
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- Curator's comments
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Exhibited at the Free Society, Seven Dials, London, 1783. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the architect's death, the portrait shows the influence of Le Marchand's ivory carving long after his death.
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Medallic Illustrations 2, published in 1885, states:
Very rare.
Cast and chased, and executed by G. D. Gaab, a, medallist of Augsburg. This medal was made about the middle of the eighteenth century, and, in commemorating Wren, selects his greatest work as illustrative of his genius. Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect and mathematician, born at East Knoyle in Wiltshire, 20 October 1632, was educated at Oxford. In 1657 he occupied the chair of Astronomy at Gresham College, London, and three years afterwards was appointed Savilian Professor at Oxford. His talents as an architect soon gave him a great reputation, and after the fire of 1666 he was engaged to rebuild St. Paul's Cathedral, which was begun in 1675 and completed in 1710 - not in 1711, as stated on this medal. Wren was one of the Founders of the Royal Society, and was most influential towards its early success. He died 25 February 1723, in his ninety-first year.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
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Exhibited:
1996-1997 2 Oct-5 Jan, Leeds, City Art Gallery, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
1996 23 May-15 Sep, London, British Museum, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
1996 7 Mar-6 May, Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Death of Sir Christopher Wren, 1723
- Acquisition date
- 1825
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- G3,IP.1089
- C&M catalogue number
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MB2 (Medallic Illustrations 2) (458) (69)
