Ferdinand de Lesseps (French, Versailles 1805 – 1894 Guilly) 1884

This bronze medal depicting Ferdinand de Lesseps was created by Jean-Désiré Ringel d'Illzach. Look closely, and you’ll see it's not just a simple portrait. The method of its making, casting in metal, immediately suggests a capacity for mass production. This connects it to larger systems of industry and commemoration. The texture and weight of the bronze give it a feeling of permanence, like a monument shrunk down to pocket size. The choice of bronze is significant. It’s a durable material, capable of capturing fine details, lending an air of importance to the subject. The medal's design combines portraiture with symbolic elements referencing de Lesseps's engineering achievements, particularly the Panama Canal. The word "Panama" is engraved at the top of the medal. By immortalizing individuals in multiples, medals helped to fuel the cult of personality, which was burgeoning in the nineteenth century, but it also cheapened the process of commemoration. It’s a complex medium, positioned somewhere between high art and industrial production.