Unpublished drawing by the famous Swiss medallist Antoine Bovy

We recently acquired a previously unpublished work by the renowned Swiss medallist Antoine Bovy (1795-1877), creator of the famous seated Helvetia motif featured on the first silver coins of the Swiss Confederation.

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The unpublished drawing by Bovy presents his project for the minting of
the Confederation’s first gold coins in 1871.
Pencil drawing – original size 25 x 25 cm – framed

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Historical context

The first Swiss gold coins – 23 years after the founding of the Confederation

Since its foundation in 1848, the Helvetic Confederation had not minted any gold coins in its name, relying on the abundance of foreign gold coins in circulation on its territory following the establishment of the Latin Monetary Union. This monetary union, formed on 23 December 1865, allowed the currencies of France, Belgium and Italy to circulate freely in Switzerland as legal means of payment. Although this situation was initially beneficial, it soon proved to be dangerously inadequate. When, following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war on 19 July 1870, gold coins were hoarded on a massive scale throughout the Union, there was a drastic shortage of them in the Confederation.

Faced with the cash crisis that was blocking the Swiss economy, the Federal Council was forced to resolve the situation, enacting a law to this effect on 22 December 1870, just a few days before Christmas. This date illustrated the urgency of the situation. Of this first attempt to mint Swiss gold coins in 1871, we have the patterns dated 1871 by Karl F. Voigt (HMZ 2-1225a) and Eduard Durussel (HMZ 2-1226a), as well as the obverse of the 1873 pattern created by Robert Dorer in 1871 (HMZ 2-1127a and 2-1128a). Antoine Bovy’s design is closest to the latter.

 

A rare Helvetia portrait depicted from the front

This 25 x 25 cm pencil drawing, with Bovy’s characteristic high artistic quality, features elements already present on his silver coins of the seated Helvetia type in circulation in the Swiss Confederation since 1850: the representation of Mont Blanc in the background, the antique toga, and the ploughshare and ears of grain on the right.

The major innovation of this project, however, lies in the frontal representation of Helvetia. This is an iconographic technique dear to Antoine Bovy, who experimented with it on many of his medals. Finally, one iconographic element also brings this project closer to the work of Robert Dorer: the presence of a large sword in Helvetia’s right hand, symbolising a Switzerland ready to defend itself in the context of war in Europe.

 

A project exhibited at the 1896 Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva

Although Bovy’s design was not selected by the Federal Council for the 20-franc gold coin, the importance of this hitherto unpublished drawing, over and above its great artistic value, is illustrated by a handwritten note on its back: “exhibited under No. 1216, in Geneva (1896) at the Swiss National Exhibition”. According to our research, a retrospective exhibition devoted to the works of Antoine Bovy, this great Genevan artist, was held during the major event that was the Swiss National Exhibition of 1896, and received a very positive response from a large number of national and international visitors.

 

Viewing

Antoine Bovy’s work can be viewed by appointment at the Lugdunum auction house in Solothurn. Please contact us.
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Antoine Bovy

Antoine Bovy was born on 14 December 1795 in Geneva, Switzerland, the son of a jeweller. Initially working as an engraver in his father’s company, Bovy spent time in the studio of Parisian sculptor James Pradier around 1824. In 1830, he settled in Paris and became a French citizen. He produced numerous medals commemorating French and Swiss personalities as well as military and technical achievements. He produced dies for the French mint, the Republic of Geneva and the Swiss Confederation. Bovy returned to Geneva in 1873 and died there on 18 September 1877.

 

Still in circulation

Bovy also created the depiction of the standing Helvetia which can be found on the ½, 1 and 2 franc coins that are still in circulation today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seated Helvetia

The motif of the seated Helvetia motif appeared on the first silver coins of the Helvetic Confederation between 1850 and 1874.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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