Medal of General Winfield Scott 1848

Editor: This is the "Medal of General Winfield Scott," a bronze relief created in 1848 by Charles Cushing Wright, residing here at the Met. The color is quite lovely, that deep, burnished brown…it’s quite formal, isn’t it? Almost severe. What jumps out at you when you look at it? Curator: Oh, Winfield, my Winfield! What strikes me is the absolute...seriousness of it all. Look at that profile, the determination etched into his face, even immortalized in bronze. But doesn't it also feel like a bit of historical theatre? All that gravitas for a medal commemorating a Resolution of Congress! Editor: Historical theatre! I like that. Is it meant to feel… propagandistic? Curator: Perhaps "celebratory propaganda" is a better term? Think of it: a nation flexing its nascent power, enshrining its heroes. The circular form itself lends an air of completeness, of a story sealed and delivered. The stars – counting them all must have taken ages – symbolize aspirations… unbound potential. What stories do *you* imagine swirling behind his gaze? Editor: I suppose he's envisioning future victories... but he kind of looks like he’s trying to remember where he parked his horse. That little upward tilt to his chin makes me want to know if he approved of this! It looks quite permanent to have a potential bad day turned into something of bronze... Curator: You are incorrigible. Perhaps it was hubris or maybe that he simply enjoyed striking a pose. But beyond the medal itself is the *idea* of the hero… larger than life, pressed into history, bronze and all. Next time, perhaps you should ask the bronze. Editor: Right? “Hey bronze, what's the real story? Spill the (molten) tea." This has actually been really fun and gives a much better sense of that medal's meaning in society at the time.