Inauguration of the New Building of the Ecole Estienne 1896

This is a medal, approximately 3.5 by 2.5 inches, made by Louis Eugêne Mouchon around 1889, commemorating the inauguration of the new building of the École Estienne. The use of relief lends a sculptural quality, enhanced by the interplay of light and shadow on its metallic surface. The medal is divided into two distinct yet related panels, each offering a unique visual and symbolic language. The left panel shows a figure of a woman, likely representing wisdom or patronage, with a young boy, perhaps an allegory for education. The composition is classical, evoking a sense of timeless virtue and mentorship. The right panel is dominated by inscribed text framed by allegorical figures. These figures—a woman and a man—hold objects that symbolize civic virtues, flanking the text that records the event. Both panels share a formal rigor, indicative of the late 19th-century French artistic tradition, which valued symmetry and order. The medal thus becomes a vehicle for conveying not only the historical significance of the event but also the cultural values of the time.