Historical and Commemorative
Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss
WILLIAM WYON WYON, L.C.: England, 1854, Bronze, 56 mm William Wyon (1795-1851), the most celebrated
of the Wyon family of medallists, was the eldest son of Peter Wyon, with
whom he apprenticed. In London, he aided his uncle Thomas Wyon the elder in
engraving, and shortly thereafter was chosen to fill the post of second
engraver. When the chief engraver, Thomas Wyon junior died, Benedetto
Pistrucci, the noted gem engraver and favorite of the Master of the Mint,
was appointed to the vacant office. William Wyon resented this nomination
and differences arose between the two artists. A compromise was reached when
Wyon was made Chief Engraver and Pistrucci received the designation of Chief
Medallist. According to Forrer, Wyon’s head of Queen Victoria used on
coinage, by combining beauty of design and perfect execution, received
universal approbation and still ranks as one of the noblest productions in
the British numismatic series. This medal is one from a series sponsored by
the Art Union of London. The Art Union of London was a society founded in
1837 to foster and encourage interest in the fine arts. Between 1845 and
1887 it sponsored the production of thirty medals with the portrait of
eminent artists on the obverse and an illustration of their work on the
reverse. These medals were struck in very limited number, up to a few
hundred in bronze and about 30 in silver. The present laudatory medal was commissioned
in 1851, the year of William Wyon’s death.
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