Cardinal Richelieu, Armand-Jean du Plessis (1585–1642) is responsible for transforming France into a strong and centralized state, and he is known as King Louis XIII’s right-hand man. Cardinal Richelieu worked to ensure France’s dominance over the Austro-Spanish Hapsburg Dynasty during the Thirty Years War. Warin’s depiction of a classical procession and a seated figure (likely a personification of France) being crowned by Victory is stylistically conservative. The Cardinal seemed to have admired Warin’s work and even intervened on behalf of the artist when Warin was accused of forgery in 1633.
Object Description
250 ARMAND-JEAN DUPLESSIS (1585-1642), Cardinal of Richelieu, 1622 1630
Obv. Bust to right, wearing the Order of Saint Esprit. Around, . ARMANDVS lOANNES CARDINALIS DE RICHELIEV
Rev. France seated with Fortune and Fame in chariot drawn by horses; flying Victory crowns France with laurel wreath. Around, TANDEM VICTA SEQVOR; below, WARIN | . 1630 .
Bronze, 77 mm. Later cast
Bibl.: (All of the following are variations on this medal.) Houston, nos. 165, 166; Salton, no. 84; Kress, no. 575a; Mazerolle-Varin i, p. 86, no. 5; Brescia 2, p. 97, no. 8; Trésor France 2, pl. 21, 3; MM. 2, pl. 108, 1.
