Historical and Commemorative Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM WAKE

DASSIER, Jean: England, 1725, Bronze, 43 mm
Obv: Bust of Wake    GUILIELMUS WAKE ARCH. CANT.
Rev: Inscription    JLLUSTRIUM VIRORUM QUI VERAE RELIGIONI CHRISTIANAE BONISQUE LITTERIS JN EUROPA RENOVANDIS RESTAURANDISQUE ADLABORARUNT JCONES VERISSIMAS REVERENDISSIMO IN CHRISTO PATRI GUILIELMO WAKE ARCHIEPISCOPO CANTUARIENSI TOTIUS ANGLIAE PRIMATI ET METROPOLITANO OFFERT, DICAT DEDICATQUE JOANNES DASSIER GENEVENSIS. M.DCC.XXV. (These Most Truthful Portraits of Illustrious Men, Who Have Labored for the Revival and Restoration of the True Christian Religion and Polite Literature in Europe, Jean Dassier, a Genevese, Offers, Presents, and Dedicated to the Right Reverend Father in Christ, William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan, 1725.)
Signed:  JOANNES DASSIER
This is the Dedicatory medal for Dassier's Series of Protestant Reformers
Ref: M.I. 462/73; Eimer 76/500; Eisler I, 209/1a;  Weiss BW043

William Wake (1657-1737) was educated at Oxford and, through a succession of appointments, became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1716. He was the author of several theological works and many volumes of sermons. Wake was also a numismatist and an ardent collector of medals, including those by Jean Dassier. He was particularly impressed with the special nature of Dassier's medallic work, noting that previously the most elegant and ingenious monuments had been erected to princes and heros whose atrocious deeds had brought about the ruination of nations and peoples. By contrast, to Dassier's great credit, he had chosen to commemorate those men who were accomplished in the arts and sciences, and in particular those who had employed their talent for the glory of God. (Eisler).

As is indicated in the legend on the reverse of this medal, Dassier dedicated this series of medals to William Wake.

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