Object Number 2017.0043.011

Object Name

Medal (Award or premium)

Category

Metals

Credit Line/Donor

American Textile History Museum

Creator (Role)

Charles Cushing Wright (Engraver)
1796-1854

Peter Paul Duggan (Designer)-1861

United States Mint (Maker)
1792
The Mint was established by the U.S. Congress in 1792 with The Coinage Act. David Rittenhouse was appointed the first director by President George Washington and the Mint was erected in Philadelphia.

American Art Union (Maker)
1840-1852
At the time of its dissolution in 1852, the AAU held an auction to sell off the paintings and sculptures in their collection. Those works that did not sell, along with the records of the organization and other assorted materials they kept in their possession were given to the New-York Historical Society in 1863. Today these materials comprise The American Art-Union Print Collection, 1840-1851 at the NYHS. References: Mary Bartlett Cowdrey, American Academy of Fine Arts and American Art-Union (New York: New-York Historical Society, 1953); Maybelle Mann, The American Art-Union (Jupiter, Fl.: ALM Associates, 1987).

Salathiel Ellis (Designer)
1803-1879

Place of Origin

Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Secondary Place of Origin

New York, New York, United States, North America

Date

1848

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Obverse, lower edge; "S.ELLIS DEL." in low relief
2. Mark; Obverse, beneath shoulder; "C.C. WRIGHT F." in low relief
3. Inscription; Obverse, legend; "GILBERT STUART" in low relief
4. Mark; Reverse, on middle step; "P.P. DUGGAN DEL." in low relief
5. Mark; Reverse, exergue; "C.C. WRIGHT F." in script
6. Inscription; Reverse, legend; "AMERICAN ART UNION" in low relief

Materials

Bronze

Techniques

Struck

Dimensions (inches)

0.31 (H) , 2.5 (Diam)

Dimensions (centimeters)

0.787 (H) , 6.35 (Diam)

Object Description

Web - 12/06/2017

A circular die-struck medal in bronze depicting a portrait of painter Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) awarded as an exhibition premium by the American Art Union in New York. The medal was created in 1848 as one in a series of three, the other two feature portraits of American artists Washington Allston (1847) and John Trumbull (1849). All the dies were engraved by Charles Cushing Wright, the most talented medal engraver of his era. The obverse design was created by Salathiel Ellis and the reverse by Peter Paul Duggan (1810-61) who collaborated with Wright for the American Art Union. This medal was struck in silver and bronze by the United States Mint in Philadelphia.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Julian, R. W. 1977 Medals of the United States Mint The First Century 1792-1892. 430.
• Similar published: p. 201.
[Book] Kenney, Richard D. 1982 Early American Medalists and Die-Sinkers Prior to the Civil War.
• Biographies:.pp. 8, 9, 23-24.