Ancient, Celtic, British and World Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

WORLD ART MEDALS France, Mr Duhem, large electrotype bronze portrait medallion by H. Lefebvre, signed ‘A mon ami Duhem — Lefebvre 1885’, 190mm. Extremely fine (£70-90)

Hippolyte Lefebvre, sculptor, medallist, and painter (1863 - ?). Forrer (BDM pp 369-70) speaks highly of Lefebvre’s work — “without giving up sculpture, Lefebvre has in recent years executed several medals and cast medallions which are very original in character.” While M. R. Marx observes that they are “d’une ingéniosité pittoresque très vive.” The portrait is a powerful one, executed with something of the vigour and verve of David d’Angers. Duhem is a family name from Lille, the city where Lefebvre was born, and presumably the sitter is a boyhood friend.
See Plate III