To Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Third Republic 1895

Louis-Oscar Roty crafted this bronze medal to mark the 25th anniversary of the Third Republic. The veiled female head, encircled by the words "Patriae In Memoriam," is an allegorical representation of France, evoking a sense of mourning or remembrance. This motif of a veiled figure stretches back through time, appearing in ancient Roman funerary art. The act of veiling has always been used to conceal and protect, to mark a transition or express grief. Here, the rooster, a symbol of vigilance and resurrection since the medieval period, crows towards a rising sun, alluding to hope. This emblem, rooted in rural life, mirrors the psychological landscape of collective memory, suggesting that new beginnings often emerge from the depths of sorrow. Notice how Roty has masterfully captured the textures of the veil and the rooster's feathers, as if to remind us of the tactile reality of human experience, a silent testament to the ever-evolving dance between loss and renewal. The symbols, laden with historical weight, become vehicles for emotional resonance, engaging the viewer on a deeply personal level.