Medal commemorating Saint Brendan, Discoverer c. 1869

John Frederick Mowbray-Clarke designed this bronze medal commemorating Saint Brendan, Discoverer. Born in Ireland, Saint Brendan was a seafaring monk of the 6th century. Tales recount his voyages across the Atlantic, leading some to believe he reached North America long before Columbus. Mowbray-Clarke’s medal situates Brendan as a pivotal figure in the narratives of exploration and discovery that define the West. Notice the inscription, “BEATVS BRENDANVS DEVELATOR AMERICAE PRISCVS” which translates to “Blessed Brendan, discoverer of ancient America.” The medal merges religious iconography with colonial ambition, blending the spiritual quest with the drive to map and claim new territories. Brendan is holding a book, but his piercing gaze suggests a visionary, driven by faith and a thirst for the unknown. The dolphin at his side serves as a divine guide. This medal invites us to consider how the stories we tell about the past shape our understanding of the present. Mowbray-Clarke asks us to reflect on the complex legacy of discovery.