French, circa 1660-1680

When Louis XIII passed away in 1643, Louis XIV was only five years old when he ascended to the throne, under the regency of Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin. At the end of the Fronde, which destabilised the young king's authority from 1648 to 1653, it was essential to reaffirm the dynastic legitimacy of the Bourbons. These two pendant medallions, with the profiles of the late king and his son, emphasise the direct lineage between Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the legitimate heir to the throne.

This profile of Louis XIII is derived from the 4 Louis d'or coin minted with the monarch's effigy in 1640, based on a model by Jean Warin (1604–1672). As on this medallion, the monarch's wreathed head is shown in right profile. On the medallion with the profile of Louis XIV, the monarch is still wearing a moustache, which he would abandon around 1661 or 1662. However, this attribute would continue to appear on certain royal effigies afterwards. This profile of the Sun King could also be derived from a medal or coin model. It can be compared, in reverse, to a commemorative medal of Louis XIV's victory in Holland by Jean Mauger, circa 1672 (see. La Médaille au temps de Louis XIV, 1970, no. 269). Finally, one should mention an ivory medallion derived from Mauger's model, circa 1670-80, in the Victoria & Albert Museum (inv. 382-1872).