Eugène Delacroix's Ancient Coin Drawings!

[porphyrogenita]

Did you know that French artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), the guy who painted Liberty Leading the People (as seen below)...

...also drew some studies of ancient coins? They're super cool to look at and I found images online for everyone's viewing pleasure!

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Delacroix developed his style of modeling by studying Greek and Roman coins in the collections of his friends Louis Auguste Schwiter and P. L. J. Casimir, duc de Blacas." (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/336618?exhibitionId={794db332-ad42-4bb9-b81e-2d1d602d947f}&amp%3Boid=336618&amp%3Bpkgids=519&amp%3Bpg=0&amp%3Brpp=100&amp%3Bpos=19&amp%3Bft=*&offset=100)

[Phil Anthos]

Those are remarkable, thank you! Completely outclasses the drawings typical of late 19th century references (Sambon, et al).

~ Peter 

[wuntbedruv]

16 hours ago, porphyrogenita said:

Did you know that French artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), the guy who painted Liberty Leading the People (as seen below)...

...also drew some studies of ancient coins? They're super cool to look at and I found images online for everyone's viewing pleasure!

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Delacroix developed his style of modeling by studying Greek and Roman coins in the collections of his friends Louis Auguste Schwiter and P. L. J. Casimir, duc de Blacas." (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/336618?exhibitionId={794db332-ad42-4bb9-b81e-2d1d602d947f}&amp%3Boid=336618&amp%3Bpkgids=519&amp%3Bpg=0&amp%3Brpp=100&amp%3Bpos=19&amp%3Bft=*&offset=100)

Now, here's the question.

 

Can any of the coins in the drawings be tracked down today?

[Al Kowsky]

2 hours ago, wuntbedruv said:

Now, here's the question.

 

Can any of the coins in the drawings be tracked down today?

I really doubt that 🤔. These are quick sketches not accurate line drawings 😉.

[wuntbedruv]

23 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

I really doubt that 🤔. These are quick sketches not accurate line drawings 😉.

I don't. I have a friend who owns an Anglo-Saxon coin illustrated on one of the plates in William Camden's 18th century work 'Britannia'. Those illustrations are more basic than these and the coin is still able to be definitively attributed, albeit it has a distinctive chip on one edge.

Given that the coins Delacroix illustrated belonged to known, named collectors, I don't think it is at all beyond reasonable expectation that if one were able to trace the sale of their coins via auction catalogues  or museums (if they ended up there) there is a possibility that some of the completely illustrated coins could be matched up. At least one has a big break on its flan, a useful feature for this purpose.

I won't dismiss the possibility out of hand until the hypothesis is tested 🙂

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

On ACSearch I have 0 matches for Schwiter, but 10 for Casimir:

 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=casimir&category=1&lot=&date_from=&date_to=&thesaurus=1&images=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&currency=usd&order=3  

Maybe more coins can be tracked down if in museums 🙂

[Roman Collector]

That's really interesting! Thanks for sharing, @porphyrogenita!

[Nikodeimos]

51 Gallery sold one or two of these a couple years back. Still very much regret not buying one.

[porphyrogenita]

Update with more information: I think the collection of P. L. J. Casimir, duc de Blacas is owned by the British Museum now!
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG8484 (the coins can be seen once you scroll past the amulets and bowls and such)

I also found an article from JSTOR covering the acquisition of the collection by the museum in 1868:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/42680452 (I would directly link the PDF for download but it has my IP address on it)

 

Points to anyone who matches up the coins in the drawings with those in the collection! :))