GIES: WWI Prussian Refugee Art Medal

cacheman

LUDWIG GIES: ' Andenken an den Weltkrieg (Flucht) ' Memory to the World War (Escape), 1915, Cast bronze, 45.2:39.4mm, 18.5g, heart shaped with triangular clasp, Unique, As Cast. Frankenhuis, 1919, P. 160, Nr.1345.

Obverse: A refugee family consisting of an old man, child, and a woman with a baby pause to pray before a crucifix inscribed, "I.N.R.I." (Jesus OF Nazareth King of the Jews). "L.G." at the base of the triangulated clasp attachment. 1914-15 in exergue.

Reverse: A wreathed downward pointing sword sits atop an empty inscription tablet. A morning star is found to the left and right of the tablet, signifying the second year of the war. Arched Inscription reads; "ANDENKEN A.D.WELTKRIEG".

Ludwig Gies devoted a series of ten medals to the refugees from East Prussia, the women, the children and old people who were suffering and mourning. Gies emphasizes the medal image by curving the field forward (convex) or, in this case, inward (concave); the silhouette like contours of the figures before the otherwise empty background underline the isolation of the little group which express dull despair; dejection, and acquiescing into their fate.

Bernd Ernsting's "Ludwig Gies" reference tome lists the following known examples of this medal:

WVZ114, cast silver, One (1) in private collection
WVZ114a, cast iron, One (1) in Wein Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna Art History Museum).

There is no mention of a bronze copy but Gies was known to produce one silver, bronze, and iron copy of other medals in this series. I have thus assigned WVZ114b to this piece.

TwoKopeiki

Another fantastic medal, Cacheman! Thank you for posting it and the information, as well

oldshep

Interesting history - seems to be a very rare issue!!

Shep

laurentyvan

Nice piece, great information, quality post.

spoon

I'm glad you're cornering the market on these. Keeps me from trying to.


What do you know of Gies' political views at the time?

Also, how's the website going?

cacheman

<< <i>I'm glad you're cornering the market on these. Keeps me from trying to.


What do you know of Gies' political views at the time?

Also, how's the website going? >>



Hey Eric!

For the most part I believe Gies was apolitical as his works never provided a patriotic contribution towards mobilizing nationalistic or heroic emotions ...granted, being an artist with an seemingly anti-nationalist opinion of the war didn't put him in the best light with the public but he was well respected in the Munich art world. Unfortunately after the war and with the rise of nazism Gies, and most all other expressionist artists, were labeled 'degenerate artists' and thus, were subjected to 'government' sanctions. Perhaps the most devastating for Gies was his dismissal from teaching at the school of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Berlin...but then other sanctions were imposed such as prohibition from exhibiting his art, selling his art, and eventually he was forbidden to produce his art.

What Gies alone, in the few years of his Munich period (1910-19), achieved for the devlopment of the art medal in the 20th century can be described as epoch-making. He overcame both art nouveau and the continuing influence of the Italian Renaissance medal; he won a place for the medal as a medium for sculptural expression; and he attained in a minute format a monumentality that had never been known until then. He hasn't been 'discovered' by the general public as yet but mark my words his work will be immediately recognized, not unlike daVinci, in the future.

The Wesite:
The developer informed me the other day that they have set a deadline in mid-February for completion. Once the site is 'delivered' I must then populate it with text and images which could take a number of months as there will be 800-900 medal images with an associated page and text for each piece and the edited text from both Kienast books totaling several hundred pages must be added. The site will also have an associated Medal/Medallion Forum where medal collectors will have a place to congregate....a big step up from being limited to posting to Numismatic forums. Anyway, it's coming along...it's just taking time and money to make it happen and to happen correctly.