GIES: WWI "Sea Engagement" Art Medal

cacheman

See Gefecht [Sea Engagement], 1917, Cast Bronze, 67mmX40mm uniface oval medal, RRR (only one available outside museums), (Ernsting WVZ109, Frankenhuis 1328; Bernhart 111).

Two carp engage in defensive water-spitting as they approach each other in pre-battle. On their backs are groups of medieval Landsknechte* warriors with pikes (spiess), military forks**, shields, battle banners and standards***.

Throughout the WWI period, Gies used medieval symbolism as a mirror to the struck commemorative medal he refused to make. He was already seen as a defeatist in the eyes of authority and he refused to draw his art from the emotional depiction of heroes fighting and dying in fictitious theatres of war in a patriotic spirit of sacrifice.

Medal Availability/Location
Cast Bronze
(1) Hamburger Kunsthalle
(1) London British Museum
(1) Munich Staaliche Munzsammlung
(1) Vienna Kunsthistoriches Museum
(1) Available for private collection

Cast Bronze, Versilbert (silver plated)
(1) Stuttgart, Wurttembergisches Landesmuseum

Cast Iron
(1) Available for private collection




*Landsknechts (singular Landsknecht, German plural Landsknechte, sometimes also in English publications) were European, most often German, mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of the European Renaissance.

**Military Fork - a weapon consisting of a pronged pair of blades or spikes affixed to the end of a long staff. Military forks were of fairly low popularity, but could easily be adapted from agricultural implements. They were influenced by the Trident, which although not a medieval weapon was remembered as a gladiatorial weapon

*** Battle Banner/Standard A flag of heraldic design, long and tapering, possibly with a rounded or double-rounded (lanceolate or double-tailed descate) fly carrying the owner’s badge and motto (sometimes also a national symbol or personal arms), and bordered in his livery colours. Originally used as an identifying symbol by medieval noblemen, and still occasionally flown by those entitled to it – a heraldic.

Preussen

Amazing medal;

<< <i>only one available outside museums >>

-Preussen

Blackhawk

Very cool.

Iosephus

Great medal and background information!

goldboy

Nice Medal .....................................

BTW - "SPAM" (remember me? You spammed a post of mine a few months back and never told me why?) I assume you meant the post was OT (which it was) but I wish you would have posted OT rather than the blatant disrespect of "SPAM" and then the no response. Also, I really dont care for your medal but notice that I posted that it was nice (as is, I never say or post negative things towards others, even if "I DONT LIKE THE POST"). Learn from this and please PM me!

"May you find JOY in your coins and not in the "down-play" of others"................. I think you are a great collector (and person) and a true asset to these boards and you should continue to live up to that!

Nuff Respect,
Jah Rastafari

Rickc300

SPAM? Oh boy... I must have missed something! NO FLAME WARS! Let the past be past and move on with your collecting interests! I got in the middle of a war a while back and disliked a couple of very good contributors here on this forum because of my being involved in the rift. I now greatly respect both and understand that not everyone can see eye to eye on everything but there are better ways of dealing with differences than in an outright flame WAR in a friendly enviroment like CU...

Rick

goldboy

Hey Rick,

This was no disrespect to the cache man! What you posted was exactly what I was trying to say......................."WE SHOULD ALL ENJOY THE HOBBY AND NOT GET EMOTIONAL AND UGLY ABOUT IT"!.......... I ALWAYS treat the boards with respect, honor all my deals, play by the rules, and take criticism when I am wrong with no hard feelings.

As stated, I have nothing against the cacheman! I dont know him and he does not know me, so why he posted such a negative comment is a mystery to me?


But as you stated, it is in the past and we can let it stay that way. I just wanted to mention it to him for future reference before he does it to someone else (maybe he was just having a bad day?)...........................................

Thanks for your thoughtful and kind comments

farthing

Great medal cacheman - love the imagery of the fighting carp!

Stork

Very cool medal--I've never heard of the spitting thing. I suppose it probably means something but I'm too obtuse to understand. I love your posts!

Cathy

ColinCMR

totally cool, will you be seeking out the cast iron version if it pops up?

cacheman

totally cool, will you be seeking out the cast iron version if it pops up?

I would try to snag it if it were to become available but my druthers would be to apply the cash to a different piece first. Gies' Munich Period pieces of 1910-18, his only work I'm interested in, are so rare that you have to buy when you see them. Unfortunately you only need one other collector to raise the prices exponentially...