ST OUENS CHURCH AT ROUEN

WIENER, Jacques: France, 1859, Bronze, 59 mm
Obv: View of exterior    ST OUEN A ROUEN
Exergue: GRAND PORTAIL ET LES 2 FLECHES PAR L'ARCHIT: GREGOIRE 1847-1850
Rev: View of interior
On left:  COMMENCEE 1318 PAR L'ABBE JEAN ROUSSEL
On right:  ROSES DU TRANSSEPT 1439. LA NEF ACHEVEE 1491. GRANDE ROSE DE LA FACADE 1515.
Signed: J. WIENER F. 1859
Ref: Van Hoydonck 171; Eidlitz 80/480

Rouen, a city in France situated 87 miles NW of Paris, was the ancient capital of the province of Normandy. The central point of the old town is occupied by the church of St. Ouen. St. Ouen was formerly the church of an abbey dating to the Roman period. It was founded in 1318 in place of a Romanesque church which previously occupied the site. The choir was built in the 14th century, the nave in the 15th century and the western facade in the mid 19th century.
The architect, Henry Charles Martin Gregoire (1791-1854) studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and established himself at Rouen, the city in which his most important works are located. Here he constructed, among other important buildings, the western facade for the church of St. Ouen, the subject of this medal.

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