Collection search - Portrait Medal of the Great Italian Mathematician and Astronomer Galileo Galilei

Record information – Brief
1
Portrait Medal of the Great Italian Mathematician and Astronomer Galileo Galilei

Hierarchical level:

Item

Date:

ca. 1964.

Type of material:

Objects (including medals and pins)

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

2854324

Context of this record:

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National Medal Collection

Portrait Medal of the Great Italian Mathematician and Astronomer Galileo Galilei
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Record information – Details
Date(s):

ca. 1964.

Place:

France:

Place of creation:

France

Extent:

1 medal : bronze ; 149.50 gr
Support 0.000 x mm

Language of material:

Italian

Scope and content:

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A bronze medal sculptured for the Paris Mint by French Medallist, Raymond Corbin. The medal was commissioned by the mint in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the birth of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Italian mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer. Galileo was a staunch supporter of the idea of Heliocentrism which taught that, contrary to popular belief, the Earth and other planets revolved around the sun and that Earth was not in fact the center of the universe. This was met with harsh criticism from the Catholic Church, as well as other astronomers. These views would eventually lead to Galileo being tried for heresy, where he was sentenced to live under house arrest for the rest of his life.

The obverse side of the medal displays a forward facing bust of Galileo.

The reverse side of the medal displays an image recalling the puplication of Galileo's "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems," in which Galileo defended the Copernican view of the universe over the Ptolemaic view (which was held by the Church). This book was subsequently added to the Index of Forbidden Books and would not be removed from this list until the 19th century. The man being punished in the image on the medal is lilkely an allusion to Galileo and the treatment he received following the publication of his beliefs.

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Signatures and inscriptions note:

Inscription: obverse: GALILEO GALILEI / 1564 / 1642 / 4E CENTENAIRE * 1964 / CORBIN, Inscription: reverse: 22 JUIN / 1633 / DIALOGO S. I DUE / MASSIMI / SISTEMI DEL / MONDO / TOLEMAICO / E COPERNICANO, Inscription: edge: 1975 mark BRONZE, Inscription: attachment: no attachment

Container note(s):

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C-089230 : obverse
C-089231 : reverse
Subject heading:

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portrait allegory

commemoration
Source:

Private

Other accession no.:

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1986-079 X PIC
04474
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Object

[Consultation90 Open]

Medals 4474

[Consultation 90 Open]

Copy negative C-089230--C-089231

[Consultation 90 Open]

Terms of use:

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Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1986-79-4474

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