Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet, 1694–1778) 1781

This terracotta medallion of Voltaire was created by Jean-Baptiste Nini, a French sculptor working in the late 18th century. The image is striking, not just as a portrait but as an artifact of its time. France was on the cusp of revolution, and Voltaire, a leading figure of the Enlightenment, challenged the established order. His ideas on reason, liberty, and religious tolerance fueled intellectual and social ferment, threatening the monarchy and the Church. Nini’s medallion immortalizes Voltaire. The profile, with its sharp features and knowing smile, captures the writer's wit and defiance. The fact that this image was mass-produced suggests the extent of Voltaire's influence and the growing appetite for revolutionary ideas among the French population. To fully understand the medallion, historians delve into pamphlets, letters, and the records of philosophical societies. These resources reveal the intellectual and political landscape in which art becomes a potent force for social change.