Historical and Commemorative
Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss
LEOPOLD I: ARTISTIC AND LITERARY CIRCLE OF BRUSSELS WIENER, Jacques: Belgium, 1851, Bronze, 54 mm 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.
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