FRANCE, Royal. Dijon (City). Medal (Bronze, 184 mm, 866.00 g), on the statesman Pierre Jeannin (1540-1622). By G. Dupré (1576-1643), but a later aftercast, no date (after 1612). PETRVS IEANNIN•REG•CHRIST•A•SECR•CONS•ET•SAC•AERA•PRAEF Draped bust of Pierre Jeannin to right.
Rev. Blank. Jones 94, 50 var. (with signature). Kress 564 var. (with signature). Mazerolle II, 683 var. (with signature). Scher 149 var. (with signature). Minor scratches, deposits and pierced
, otherwise, extremely fine.
From the Jacques and Henriette Schumann Collection, Christie's 5062, 30 September 2003, 189.
Pierre Jeannin, pupil of the great jurist Jacques Cujas at Bourges, was an advocate at Dijon by 1569 and became councillor and then president of the parlement of Burgundy. He unsuccessfully opposed the massacre of St Bartholomew in his province. As councillor to Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne, he sought to reconcile him with King Henry IV of France.
After the victory of Fontaine-Française (1595), Henry took Jeannin into his council and in 1602 named him intendant of finances. He took part in the principal events of the reign, negotiated the Treaty of Lyon with Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, and the defensive alliance between France and the United Netherlands in 1608. As Superintendent of Finances under King Louis XIII, be tried to establish harmony between the king and the queen mother, Marie de' Medici. The model for this medal depicting Pierre Jeannin was created in 1612 by the gifted sculptor, medallist, and mint master Guillaume Dupré.
This striking, large-format medal comes from the collection of Jacques (1908-1987) and Henriette (1911-2002) Schumann. The Schumanns led a life deeply rooted in art and culture. Shortly after their marriage in 1937, the couple began passionately collecting paintings, archaeological artifacts, musical instruments, and -above all- medals.
During World War II, they were forced to flee to Geneva under dramatic circumstances. Their Paris apartment and family estates were looted by the Nazis. After the war, Henriette fought - at times successfully - for the restitution of their stolen property. In their new home near Luzarches, they not only continued to pursue their collecting interests, but also supported major museums, including the Louvre, with significant donations.
