LEOPOLD I: ARTISTIC AND LITERARY CIRCLE OF BRUSSELS

WIENER, Jacques: Belgium, 1851, Bronze, 54 mm
Obv: Bust of Leopold I (left)    A LEOPOLD I ROI DES BELGES LE CERCLE ARTISTIQUE ET LITTERAIRE DE BRUXELLES
Rev: View of interior of the hall of the Cercle Artistique of Litteraire (The Palais Des Beaux-arts)    FETE NATIONALE 24 SEPTEMBRE 1815 ALPH: BALAT. ARCHIT.
Signed: J. WIENER F.
Ref: Eidlitz 8/35; Van Hoydonck 86; Bouhy 150; Reinecke 136; Ross M90; Weiss BW409

Leopold I (Leopold George Christian Frederick) (1790-1865) was the first King of the Belgians (1831 to his death in 1865), following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His children included Leopold II of Belgium and Empress Carlota of Mexico.

He was also an uncle of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Alphonse Balat (1818-1905), the architect for the main building of the palais des Beaux-Arts, the interior of which is depicted on the reverse of this medal, distinguished himself in both engineering and architecture. In addition to this building, among his most important works include the reconstruction of the royal palace and the erection of a magnificent residence for the Marquis d'Assche.

Alphonse Balat

The Alphonse Balat Palace

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