Vice-admiraal P.A. de Suffren, penning geschonken door de Staten van Provence, wegens de bescherming van kaap de Goede Hoop, de inname van Trincomalee, de bevrijding van Goudelour en de verdediging van Kaap de Goede Hoop 1784

This bronze medal, commemorating Vice-Admiral P.A. de Suffren, was created by Augustin Dupré. It was commissioned by the States of Provence to celebrate Suffren's protection of the Cape of Good Hope in 1782. The medal serves as a potent symbol of the era's intense naval conflicts and colonial rivalries. France and Britain were locked in a struggle for maritime supremacy and control over lucrative trade routes. Suffren's exploits in the Indian Ocean were crucial for France, which sought to challenge British dominance. Note that the inscriptions on the reverse side of the medal list Suffren’s accomplishments: the capture of Trincomalee, the liberation of Goudelour, and the defence of the Cape of Good Hope. To fully appreciate the medal’s significance, it’s necessary to consult historical sources detailing naval strategies, colonial economies, and the biographies of key figures like Suffren. The medal underscores the importance of understanding art within its specific socio-political and institutional context.