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Famille Royale

Possibly Jacques Roëttiers French
1693 or later
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
This "royal family" medal, so called for its portraits of Louis XIV and his heirs, was first struck in 1693 to commemorate the birth of one of the king’s great-grandsons. Often presented as a diplomatic gift, this design was first offered to two Abenaki chiefs in 1693, in recognition of their feats in fighting the British. Such "Indian peace medals" continued to be sent overseas for the next two decades. They carried great symbolic value for some indigenous Americans, who wore them or were buried with them.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Famille Royale
  • Artist: Possibly Jacques Roëttiers (French, St-Germain-en-Laye 1707–1784 Paris)
  • Date: 1693 or later
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Gold
  • Dimensions: 2 5/16 in., 5.35oz. (5.9 cm, 151.69g)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, Département des Monnaies, Médailles et Antiques (1034)
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts