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Louis XIII and Anne of Austria

(French, 1574–1642)
1620–23
MintFrance
Medium/TechniqueMetal; gilt copper (95% copper with about 3% zinc and small amounts of lead and tin.
DimensionsDiameter: 6.1 cm (2 3/8 in.)
Credit LineTheodora Wilbour Fund in memory of Zoë Wilbour
Accession number66.431
On View
On view
ClassificationsNumismatics
Collections
Description
The Queen of France, wife of King Louis XIII, at age 21, is shown here in splendid court dress, with a particularly striking high ruff trimmed with lace.  She wears large pearl drop earrings and a pearl necklace, as well as a jeweled brooch. Indeed, it is her clothes, hair and jewels, and their dynastic significance, that seem to be the subject of this medal, rather than the personality or character of the sitter.
InscriptionsObverse: Inscribed at edge "LVDOVIC·XIII·D·G·FR[A]NCOR·ET NAVARAE REX" and under bust "16[ ]/G DVPRE". Reverse: Inscribed at edge "ANNA AVGVS GALLI[IAE] ET NAVARAE REGINA" and under bust "G DVPRE 16[ ]0".
ProvenanceBy 1966, Hofgalerie, Vienna; 1966, sold by the Hofgalerie to the MFA. (Accession Date: September 21, 1966)