Nice ingenomen 1699 - 1703

This bronze medal, "Nice ingenomen," was crafted by Jean Mauger in the late 17th or early 18th century. Note how the circular form, compact in size and weight, encapsulates two distinct portraits that offer us a narrative. On one side, the incised profile of Louis XIV presents an exercise in controlled elegance. His features are sharp, framed by meticulously rendered curls. Turn the medal, and the scene shifts dramatically. Here, the city of Nice is depicted as a defeated figure at the foot of a triumphant symbolic entity. The architectural details of the city are evident, despite being presented in a state of submission. Mauger's skillful use of relief and detailed engraving transforms the medal into more than just a commemorative object; it becomes a study in power dynamics and the semiotics of victory. This medal not only commemorates an event but also functions as a piece of propaganda, encoding and communicating values through carefully designed visual forms.