ANTIQUE ANIE MOUROUX VIVANT SOUVENIR 1914 WW1 FRENCH BRONZE MEDAL POUR LA PATRIE
A deeply evocative antique FRENCH BRONZE ART MEDAL by:
ANIE MOUROUX
entitled:
VIVANT SOUVENIR
and commemorating the sacrifice and bereavement associated with the opening year of the:
FIRST WORLD WAR – 1914
The medal depicts a grieving mother or widow holding a child beside a tomb, creating a powerful allegorical image of remembrance, loss and the families left behind by war.
A very moving example of French wartime medallic art with strong WW1, patriotic and memorial collector appeal.
Details
Artist / Medallist: Anie Mouroux
Title: Vivant Souvenir
Reverse Inscription: Pour la Patrie / 1914
Country: France
Subject: First World War Remembrance / Bereavement
Material: Bronze
Mint: Monnaie de Paris, where confirmed by edge marks
Date: Design / issue generally associated with the WW1 / immediate post-war period
Commemorated Date: 1914
Please refer to the photographs for the exact diameter, weight, edge marks, patina and condition.
Anie Mouroux
ANIE MOUROUX (1887–1978)
was a French sculptor and medallist whose work included commemorative and allegorical subjects.
Her medals are admired for their:
EMOTIONAL MODELLING
SYMBOLISM
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION
FINE RELIEF WORK
and this piece is a particularly poignant example of her treatment of wartime remembrance.
Vivant Souvenir
The title:
VIVANT SOUVENIR
translates approximately as:
“LIVING MEMORY”
or:
“LIVING REMEMBRANCE”
and perfectly captures the medal’s theme.
Rather than focusing on military triumph, the composition centres on those left behind and the continuing memory of the dead.
This makes it a particularly powerful example of French memorial art from the First World War era.
Obverse
The obverse depicts a:
GRIEVING MOTHER / WIDOW
leaning beside a tomb or memorial while holding a child close to her.
The tomb is decorated with:
IVY
a traditional symbol of:
FIDELITY
MEMORY
ENDURANCE
EVERLASTING ATTACHMENT
The inscription:
VIVANT SOUVENIR
appears around the upper portion, with the artist’s signature:
ANIE MOUROUX
visible to the side.
Reverse
The reverse carries the patriotic inscription:
POUR LA PATRIE
meaning:
“FOR THE FATHERLAND”
together with:
1914
This directly links the subject to the beginning of the First World War and to those who died in service to France.
Important Date Note
The date:
1914
on the reverse should be understood as the commemorated wartime date, not necessarily the exact year in which the physical medal was struck.
Published references place the creation / issue of this medal in the:
FIRST WORLD WAR OR IMMEDIATE POST-WAR PERIOD
with dates such as:
1916
1920
appearing in different catalogues and collections.
For that reason, I would avoid stating that the medal itself was definitely struck in 1914.
Monnaie de Paris
Examples of this medal are associated with the:
MONNAIE DE PARIS
and may carry characteristic edge marks including:
CORNUCOPIA
BRONZE
where present.
Please inspect the edge photographs carefully for any such marks.
If visible, these provide useful confirmation of French mint production and bronze composition.
French WW1 Medallic Art
French medallic art reached a very high standard in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
During the First World War, medallists produced works dealing with:
PATRIOTISM
SACRIFICE
MOURNING
REMEMBRANCE
VICTORY
NATIONAL IDENTITY
This medal is especially interesting because of its intimate, human focus on grief and memory rather than battlefield imagery.
Collector Appeal
This medal should appeal to collectors of:
Anie Mouroux
French Bronze Medals
WW1 Memorabilia
First World War Art
French Patriotic Medals
Monnaie de Paris
1914 Commemoratives
Memorial Medals
Art Medals
Military History
French Medallic Art
Highlights
ANIE MOUROUX
VIVANT SOUVENIR
POUR LA PATRIE
1914 WW1 COMMEMORATION
FRENCH BRONZE MEDAL
Grieving mother / widow and child
Tomb with ivy symbolism
Powerful remembrance theme
Monnaie de Paris association
Strong First World War collector appeal
Fine French medallic art
A highly moving antique Anie Mouroux French bronze medal, commemorating the human cost of the First World War through the poignant theme of living memory.
Condition & Attribution
The medal is in honest antique condition with wear consistent with age and handling.
Please inspect the photographs carefully for any:
SURFACE MARKS
PATINATION
RUBBING TO HIGH POINTS
EDGE KNOCKS
MINOR SCRATCHES
TONING
GENERAL AGE-RELATED WEAR
where visible.
The medal is described as bronze based upon the supplied information and typical examples of this type.
Where present, edge marks such as the Monnaie de Paris cornucopia and BRONZE stamp should be treated as definitive confirmation.
The date 1914 refers to the commemorated wartime subject, and not automatically to the year of physical striking.
Published sources vary on the precise creation / issue date, with examples generally placed around the wartime or immediate post-war period.
🖼️ Item Condition:
This item is in honest antique condition. I’ve included detailed photographs to show the condition, size, weight, edge marks and patina, so please review them carefully before placing your bid.
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