Early 19th Century French Napoleon I Gilt Brass Equestrian Medallion after Ramond Gayrard

A particularly attractive early 19th-century French gilt brass repoussé medallion depicting Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor, mounted within its period ebonised circular wooden frame. The finely detailed composition depicts Napoleon I on horseback, dramatically pointing forward, his cloak billowing behind him. The background incorporates a detailed landscape and fortifications, creating a remarkably accomplished scene within the relatively small format. Beneath the equestrian portrait is the important contemporary inscription: “NAPOLEON PREMIER EMPEREUR ET ROI” The composition corresponds closely with documented Napoleonic medallions associated with the celebrated French sculptor and medallist Raymond Gayrard (1777–1858). An example of this equestrian composition is held by the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, while a related repoussé brass example attributed to Gayrard forms part of the collection of the Musée Carnavalet, Paris. For this reason, the present example is catalogued conservatively as after Raymond Gayrard, pending identification of a definitive signature on the medallion itself. The medallion retains a particularly pleasing mellow gilt surface, with areas of age-related spotting and patination that have not been over-cleaned. It is housed within an attractive moulded ebonised wooden frame, retaining its original character and fitted with a suspension ring. An evocative survivor from the period of Napoleon's First French Empire, and a highly decorative piece of early Napoleonic memorabilia. Ideal for a collector of Napoleonic, French Empire, military or historical objects. Dimensions: Medallion 6.5 cm diameter