DOI Heft:
Nr 76 (July 1899)
DOI Artikel:Forrer, L.: A swiss medalist: M. F. Landry
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19232#0107
si Swiss Medallist
branches of oak and laurel, is intended to receive
the name of a citizen, who by conspicuous acts of
courage or devotedness, or also by extraordinary
achievements in the domain of science or art, has
deserved well of his country.
The best shots at Swiss federal or cantonal
shooting festivals always receive, beside the cups of
honour and other prizes, official medals. These
have hitherto been, from an artistic point of view,
of very commonplace designs—a female holding a
carbine, an old Swiss warrior with his arquebuse, a
William Tell about to shoot the apple off the head
of his son, &c. In the medal commemorating the
MEDAL
BY F. LANDRY
MEDAL
BY F. LANDRY
Federal Tir of Neuchatel, which took place last
year (July 1898), M. Landry has departed from the
old routine, and thus marked a new and thoroughly
modern idea of commemorating and representing
a great national fete. Not less than the new
twenty-franc piece, this work has been the object
of sharp criticism and
vigorous attacks, which,
however, have not had the
effect of discouraging the
artist. His production is
original in its conception
and a great achievement
as regards the execution.
On the obverse, we find
a group of marksmen,
civilians, and soldiers, and
a realistic representation
of the Swiss shooting
stands of the nineteenth
century, with the modern meda:
90
BY F. LANDRY
arms, the different types of riflemen, &c.—in a word,
a picture of the Swiss people at its great national
festival. This is certainly more worthy of being
preserved as an historic record than the repetition
of well-known emblems and mottoes. The reverse,
with the armorial shield of Neuchatel, heraldic eagle,
flags, and in the background a view of the castle
and mountains behind, has a most picturesque and
charming effect.
M. Landry deserves high praise for his achieve-
ments and untiring efforts to improve the style of
medallic art; a great future still lies before him,
and surely his best reward for years of patient
and persevering labour must be the honour of
having signed the coinage of his native country,
and handed down to future generations for their
contemplation truly Swiss productions of high
artistic merit. L. Forrer
branches of oak and laurel, is intended to receive
the name of a citizen, who by conspicuous acts of
courage or devotedness, or also by extraordinary
achievements in the domain of science or art, has
deserved well of his country.
The best shots at Swiss federal or cantonal
shooting festivals always receive, beside the cups of
honour and other prizes, official medals. These
have hitherto been, from an artistic point of view,
of very commonplace designs—a female holding a
carbine, an old Swiss warrior with his arquebuse, a
William Tell about to shoot the apple off the head
of his son, &c. In the medal commemorating the
MEDAL
BY F. LANDRY
MEDAL
BY F. LANDRY
Federal Tir of Neuchatel, which took place last
year (July 1898), M. Landry has departed from the
old routine, and thus marked a new and thoroughly
modern idea of commemorating and representing
a great national fete. Not less than the new
twenty-franc piece, this work has been the object
of sharp criticism and
vigorous attacks, which,
however, have not had the
effect of discouraging the
artist. His production is
original in its conception
and a great achievement
as regards the execution.
On the obverse, we find
a group of marksmen,
civilians, and soldiers, and
a realistic representation
of the Swiss shooting
stands of the nineteenth
century, with the modern meda:
90
BY F. LANDRY
arms, the different types of riflemen, &c.—in a word,
a picture of the Swiss people at its great national
festival. This is certainly more worthy of being
preserved as an historic record than the repetition
of well-known emblems and mottoes. The reverse,
with the armorial shield of Neuchatel, heraldic eagle,
flags, and in the background a view of the castle
and mountains behind, has a most picturesque and
charming effect.
M. Landry deserves high praise for his achieve-
ments and untiring efforts to improve the style of
medallic art; a great future still lies before him,
and surely his best reward for years of patient
and persevering labour must be the honour of
having signed the coinage of his native country,
and handed down to future generations for their
contemplation truly Swiss productions of high
artistic merit. L. Forrer