International studio (16.1902)

French Medals

discontented spirits have taken alarm at this new
development of activity on the part of the medallist,


their prejudices causing them to draw the line at
admitting any recognition of industry within their
charmed circle.
Surely this is altogether to misunderstand the


MEDAL BY CHARPENTIER

question. The medallist goes on his way, en-
deavouring to give beauty to the objet de luxe and
to the article of general utility without distinction;
at the same time he has to lay under contribution
all his resources. Of all pitfalls the most dan-
gerous is monotony. We are always begging the
artist not to go back on himself; we demand that
he shall not keep within a certain familiar groove,
that he shall not remain stationary, anchored to
some settled formula. To bring about this indis-
pensable variety new work, new ideas are demanded!
and when it is a question of decorative art special


MEDAL BY CHARPENTIER
and unforeseen conditions imposed on the medallist
have the unfailing effect of expanding his inventive-
ness, and leading him surely in the direction of
novelty and independence of thought.
Every one knows how important a position has
now been reached by the medal in the domain of
jewellery. For a long time it was the fashion to
have a piece of antique money mounted as a brooch
or pin; then came the idea of substituting effigies
of more recent date for these relics of bygone
civilisations, these little discs of metal, with
their time-worn, half-effaced relief; finally, it
seemed desirable to be, as Daumier strove to be,

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