Rare 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition French Plaque Medal, Bottee

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Rare 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition French Plaque Medal, Bottee:
$434.99

PANAMA PACIFIC INTERNATIONALEXPOSITION PLAQUETTE, 1915. Maier 140; Marqusee 57. 78 x 57mm. Bronze. Louis AlexandreBottée, Sc. (1852-1941). Struck by the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint). About Uncirculated. Edgeincused: BRONZE with Cornucopia mint hallmark.

Obverse: features a high-reliefallegorical female figure of San Francisco, clothed in simple classical dress,standing in front of the ruins of her city. The crown on her head refers to thecity\'s 19th-century nickname, \"Queen of the Pacific\". There areseveral subtle signs that indicate that San Francisco will rebuild and returnto glory: she rises from the rubble of the city in the foreground with a calmand composed look on her face as she confidently flourishes her robe; behindher shines a luminous star, her guide in the future restoration effort; herleft hand gestures toward a newly-sprouted oak tree, a symbol of growth andstrength, which indicates that the rebuilding effort has already begun. Thedate, 1906, is in the upper right. SAN FRANCISCO in exergue. Signed verticallyalong bottom right edge: L.BOTTEE.

Reverse: The upper part of thereverse features a large globe with the US eagle and shield to the right, asemi-nude male figure with the French shield to the left. Legend above:OVVERTVRE DV CANAL/ DE/ PANAMA. The lower panel depicts a bird’s eye view ofthe PALAIS DE LA FRANCE. Inscription above: EXPOSITION, VNIVELLE INTERNALE/ SANFRANCISCO/ 1915. At the bottom is the name of the issuing authority, COMITEFRANCAIS/ DES EXPOSITIONS/ A L’ENTRANGER.

Bottee had already used the motif on the obversedesign for the earlier 1906 Restoration-Resurrection of San Francisco Medalcommemorating the disastrous earthquake in 1906. The 90mm medal was struck toexpress the sympathy and admiration of the French people toward their Americancounterparts. In 1909, the French state donated a copy of this medal struck ingold to the City of San Francisco, which the earthquake had almost completelydestroyed. Six years later in 1915, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition(PPIE) was held in San Francisco, celebrating the completion of the PanamaCanal.

Thisrare plaque is rich in beauty and symbolism; the imagery elegant, alluring andheroic; the details exquisite – a superb example of Bottée’s medallic artdesigned in the Art Nouveau style!

Thankyou for looking! Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Please see “MyCollections” for recently listed and sold American and French medallic art!Under Seller Information at the topright of the listing page, click on my user name archit2004 and scroll down.

I have a large collection of bronze bas-reliefs, plaques,medallions, and medals that I will be listing this month by the followingsculptors: Chester Beach, Victor D. Brenner, Anthony de Francisci, JohnFlanagan, James Earle Fraser, Laura Gardin Fraser, Daniel Chester French, HenryHering, Anna Vaughan Hyatt-Huntington, Charles Keck, Julio Kilenyi, FrederickMacMonnies, Hermon A. MacNeil, Paul Manship, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Louis St.Gaudens, and many others, including prominent French sculptors/engravers –Lucien Bazor, Edouard-Pierre Blin, Louis Bottee, Jules-Clement Chaplain, LucienCoudray, Paul-Marcel Dammann, Rene Gregoire, Jules-Prosper Legastelois,Pierre-Alexandre Morlon, Anie Mouroux, Georges-Henry Prud’homme, Jules EdouardRoine, Louis-Oscar Roty, and PierreTurin!

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