Medals relating to motherhood

References:   Baxter 140, CoF 4, Marqusee 70

The medal's obverse bears a seated mother, facing left, cradling a swaddled baby, bassinet partially visible at left. Around top, MOTHERHOOD; signed at lower left, V.D. Brenner

The reverse bears winged putto on cloud, facing left, blowing a trumpet.

This medal is a restrike of the earlier Circle of Friends medal.  The theme proved popular and in 1929 the Medallic Art Company issued these small diameter variants of the original design.

The circular medal measures 50mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1929-025

This uniface medal shows young mother breastfeeding her baby, one hand holding her breast, the other supporting baby's head.

Maker's mark at 6:00 om edge, MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y.

The Medallic Art Company acquired the rights to this French medal in 1933 and made a stock medal in one size. Chapu was primarily a portrait medalist who had a great influence on young American artists who studied under him at the Academie Julian. Among his American pupils were such greats as John Flanagan, Hermon Atkins MacNeil, and Bela Pratt.

The medal measures 85mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1933-035, Marqusee 113

The medal's obverse bears a nude woman holding spirited infant with ball. Around, THE DANCE OF LIFE BEGINS EARLY / AND GOES ON.

The reverse bears nude male being pulled and pushed by two contending nude women. Around, WITH PLEASURE - PAIN / AND THE PROTAGONIST; between legs of figures, signature A - S - C / ©.

In this medal Alexander Stirling Calder portrays life as a dance that starts with playful exuberance and continues with experiences both pleasant and painful. It is not up to the dancer to decide how to dance, or even whether to dance. While every person is the protagonist in their own play, the script is continuously being written by others.

This design by Alexander Stirling Calder was chosen as the 17th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-017, Marqusee 101, SoM 17

The obverse bears head of mother with closed eyes holding her child with long hand supporting head. Along left and right edges, PRO / PATRIA

The reverse depicts Prometheus chained to rock at ankles and wrists, attacked by eagle. At top, left, and right, PRO / HVMANI / TATE (mark composed of crossed flaming torches over bar); signed below, Joseph E. Renier. Sc. / ©

Renier dedicated this medal to "all those who contriute their something to life." He wrote in the medal's brochure:

"The underlying theme of this medal is the devotion of womanhood and manhood to country and to humanity. "

1941 was the year America officially entered World War II and the theme of "sacrifice" and "devotion" was lay heavily on people's minds. Prometheus' "For Humanity" applies to the legen just as it applied to how American's saw their involvement in the war.

This medal was chosen as the 23rd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1941. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 849 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-023, Marqusee 330, SoM 23

This was the first Norway medal to be created for the series. The design was probably inspired by the rapid expansion of speculative North Sea oil drilling at the time prompted by the 1973 oil crisis.

The obverse presents a view out to sea with an advancing line of oil drilling platforms in the background. Ung subtly suggests a sea covered by oil slick that has washed up a dead gull on the shore in the foreground. 

The emotive conservationist theme of the obverse is matched by the mother and child design on the reverse. Ung intended this to represent Mother Norway embracing the child of future prospects. The design is thus something of a landmark in nation gendering as Norway at that time did not have the tradition of female allegorical symbols of countries such as Russia (Mother Russia), England (Brittania), and France (Marianne). Ung's design adds the future child, layering in traditional religious icon elements to the design, implying that the present country needs to take care of and protect the future environment. He's followed the tradition of having the mother's gaze fixed on the child who is in turn looking out at the viewer.

References:   NorA NO-1975