Ancient, British and World Coins, Token, Historical and Art Medals, Numismatic Books and Banknotes

France, A group of medals awarded to Edgard Maxence, the symbolist painter:
École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, 1833, silver award medals by J.E. Gatteaux (4), seated and standing robed females, revs. legend, all named, viz. Première Médaille (Peinture Grande Figure Peinte, Mr Maxence, 1894-95), 56mm; Seconde Médaille (Peinture Esquisse Peinte à un Degré, Mr Maxence, 1891-92), 50mm; Médaille (Peinture Archéologie, Mr Maxence, 1891-92), 41mm; Troisième Médaille (Peinture Esquisse Peinte, Mr Maxence, 1893-94), 41mm [4]. About very fine and better, matching tone (£150-200)

Obverse of first only illustrated. Edgard Maxence (1871-1954), the symbolist painter from Nantes, studied under Jules Delaunay and Gustave Moreau at the École des Beaux-Arts. He helped to popularise symbolism in painting in the 1890s, his best work being heavily influenced by early Italian Renaissance and late English Pre-Raphaelite art. He was a frequent and successful exhibitor at the Paris Salon from 1894 to 1939. Sold with much further biographical detail