In Honor of Victor Hugo, Novelist 1885

This bronze medal, honouring Victor Hugo, was created by Jules-Clément Chaplain. The French Third Republic saw the rise of a cult of personality, and Hugo was a key figure, celebrated as both a literary genius and a symbol of republican values. The medal presents Hugo in profile, his name inscribed boldly along the edge, alongside his birth and death dates. Medals like this served a vital public role in France. They celebrated national heroes and reinforced a sense of shared identity, as well as being distributed by institutions to commemorate important people. By studying the iconography of such medals, we gain insight into the values and ideals that the French Republic sought to promote. Further research into the archives of the French Mint and republican institutions will reveal more about the medal's commission and intended audience, shedding light on the political and cultural significance of Hugo's image.