Commemorative Medal, King Leopold I, Belgium (1851)

The medal depicts the Belgian king, his head turned to the left, surrounded by a raised circle and a profiled outer edge, with the inscription "LEOPOLD PREMIER ROI DES BELGES" and three stars at the bottom. About the artist: Julien Gabriel Leclerq (1805-1882) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent and also took classes with the famous sculptor Philippe Parmentier. Thanks to a scholarship, he was able to complete his training in Paris from 1828. In 1835, he moved to Brussels where, a year later, he won a bronze medal at the Salon. As a sculptor, Leclercq created several remarkable works, such as the bust of Crown Princess Marie-Henriette, exhibited at the Brussels Salon in 1854. He also decorated the facade of Ghent-South railway station (1837).

He created his first medal in 1827 on the occasion of the signing of the Concordat between the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Holy See. The Belgian Numismatic Review of 1854 mentions no fewer than 29 creations, such as the portrait of Surlet de Chokier (1831), the marriage of Leopold I and Louise-Marie (1832) and several medals bearing the effigy of Leopold I.

Condition report:
This medallion and its frame are in generally satisfactory condition.