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The Pacification of Italy, 1644.
The Pacification of Italy, 1644, damascened bronze medal by J. Mauger, bare head of the youthful Louis XIV right, LUD. XIIII. FR. ET NAV. REX CHRISTIANISS., rev. Italia seated, left, on globe depicting Italy, holding spear and cornucopia, REX PACIS ARBITER, in exergue ITALIA PACATA M. DC. XLIIII., 41mm, 32.99g (Divo 10). About extremely fine, extremely rare.
The subject matter of the medal is enigmatic and there are no obvious peace negotiations or treaty between France and Italy in 1644 that it should refer to. In fact, there may not have been any such treaty for the best part of a century before the date of the medal. Moreover, the king, here titled the "arbiter of peace", could have played no part in any such negotiations, being a mere five years old in 1644. Perhaps the medal is an illustration of the absolutism of the age, wherein the monarch is credited individually with his nation's ongoing achievements.
Damascening, parcel-gilding, niello, are all terms sometimes used in the description of medals with this bi-metallic appearance. It remains a very rare finish when applied to medals and would appear to be a technique most commonly used for late 17th- to early 18th century, continental medals though this does include Dassier's series of British Monarchs.