Coronation of George IV 1821

This bronze medal depicting the Coronation of George IV was made by Benedetto Pistrucci. It’s small, only 35 mm in diameter, but manages to communicate a powerful idea of British sovereignty. The medal was likely made through a process of die-striking, where the design is engraved into a hardened metal die, which is then used to impress the image onto the bronze. This is an industrial process, a way of economically producing multiples. The incised letters and finely detailed hair of the King are testaments to Pistrucci’s skill as a die cutter. Consider how different this feels from a unique portrait in painting or sculpture. Medals like this one, though made using highly skilled handwork, are ultimately intended for circulation, commemoration, and even propaganda. They are artifacts of both artistic expression, and of a system geared toward broad distribution and consumption. The Coronation Medal is a reminder that even small, mass-produced objects can be rich with meaning when we consider their making and their place within a larger social context.