Jean de Saint-Priest - Medallion with the Portrait of King Louis XII - Walters 59467 - Side A

This is one of the finest early French portraits. In 1500, Louis XII, king of France, and his queen, Anne of Brittany, visited the city of Lyon. To commemorate this honor, the city made a gift to the royal couple of a gold portrait medal (with the portrait of Anne on the reverse). The little lion at the bottom refers to Lyon, while the fleur-de-lys, or lily, is the emblem of the French king.
The portrait was designed in anticipation of the visit by the painter Jean Perréal. The sculptors Leclerc and Saint-Priest executed the model in exquisite detail and it was then cast by a goldsmith. Further casts in gold and bronze were made as gifts.