Who was DROZ, JEAN-PIERRE ?

DROZ, JEAN-PIERRE (Swiss). A celebrated Coin-engraver and Medallist, born at La Chaux-de-Fonds (canton Neuchâtel) on the 17th of April, 1746, died at Paris on the 2nd of March, 1823. His father, Daniel Droz, was a manufacturer of agricultural implements; his mother's name was Suzanne Esther Brandt dit Gruérin. Quite young, he was apprenticed to his father and learned the first elements of working on metal. Thanks to an extraordinary aptitude for drawing, a taste which was sedulously cultivated by his teachers, his progress was so rapid that it was deemed advisable to let young Droz pursue his studies in the art of engraving. At the age of eighteen, in 1764, he was sent to Paris. Little appears to be known of this period of his life; the young artist was educating his mind and his hand, and while earning his livelihood, was slowly gaining reputation as a master of his cratt. As early as 1780, he engraved a medal to commemorate Louis XVI.'s Alliance with the Bishopric of Basle. It was in 1783 that for the first time Droz' name came prominently before the public, in connection with some improvements which he suggested to the Paris Mint authorities. Three years later he was able to present to De Calonne, the Finance Minister, a beautiful pattern for an Écu of Six Livres, struck both sides at the same time with one blow of the hammer, and the edge bearing an inscription in raised letters. This piece (illustrated) is a most admirable production ; another, with R. crowned double L and similar obv. is equally fine ; they were struck with a new press invented by the artist. Some years after, Droz introduced a new process for reproducing coin-dies with precision and celerity, but political events preventing the French Government from giving him the support he needed, the artist accepted an engagement with Boulton and Watts, Soho Mint, Birmingham, where he spent several years and was employed in engraving British Regal, Colonial, and Foreign copper coins. During his residence at Birmingham, Droz continued to improve the machinery for coining, and obtained such world-wide reputation that on his return to France, in 1799, he was appointed Keeper of the Coins and Medals by the Directoire. From a biographical account of the artist in Biographie neuchâteloise, I,265 (Locle, 1863) I extract the following notes concerning his technical inventions : "J.-P. Droz fit construire plusieurs balanciers de son invention avec les autres machines nécessaires, aussi perfectionnées par lui, et substitua la pompe á vapeur aux bras des hommes pour les mettre en mouvement, ce qui procure une grande accélération de travail, ainsi qu'une économie d argent et de maind'oeuvre. Tout ce qui a rapport á la fabrication, á la gravure, á la trempe des coins, au mécanisme de la virole brisée, du laminoir,du découpoir et du balancier, a fait I'objet des études approfondies de cet artiste. En 1802, ses inventions fournirent la matiére d'un rapport á l'lnstitut de France, dans lequel on lui assigne un rang distingué parmi les hommes qui ont le plus contribué aux progrés de l'art auquel il avait voué ses talents et ses veilles. L'année suivante, un académicien célébre, M. de Prony, les décrivit avec figures, dans un nouveau rapport á la classe des sciences physiques et mathématiques de l'lnstitut, qui en ordonna l'impression. Ce rapport, rédigé par MM. de Prony, Desmarets, Perrier, Charles et Berthoud, est un des plus beaux titres de gloire de Droz. D'aprés ce rapport, le graveur neuchâtelois a apporté dans la trempe et la fabrication des coins plusieurs procédés d'une perfection sans exemple, parmi lesquels on peut distinguer ceux qui sont relatifs aux moyens d'obtenir exactement la similitude des formes et l'égalité des volumes, en ayant égard aux dilatations des métaux. II appliqua la presse inventée par Pascal, au mouvement du balancier. Ses perfections sur le laminoir portent principalement sur l'engrenage qui méne en m?me temps l'un et l'autre cylindre ; sur le moyen de tenir trés solidement le cylindre supérieur á une distance arbitraire de l'inférieur, sans que le parallélisme soit dérangé, et de rendre, au moyen d'une articulation heureusement appliquée, le mouvement de ce cylindre supérieur compatible avec celui de l'engrenage qui le méne. Mais le balancier est de toutes les machines employées a la fabrication des monnaies celle dans laquelle Droz a le plus déployé les ressources de son esprit inventif. II n'est pas une partie de cette machine qu'il n'ait perfectionnée ; mais les descriptions propres á donner l'intelligence parfaite des nouveautés qu'offrent ses mécanismes ne sont pas de nature á entrer dans cette notice. Disons seulement que ses balanciers oflraient une garantie contre les contrefacteurs, car on pouvait frapper, au moyen de la virole brisée, la piéce sur face et sur tranche d'un seul coup, quelles que fussent les empreintes creuses ou saillantes que la tranche doive porter." The Jury of the London Exhibition of 1802, after having taken knowledge of the various improvements submitted by Droz, expressed its appreciation of them in the following manner : "This remarkable artist has embraced the art of coining in all its width, and there is no detail in it which he has not improved. Should his processes be adopted, the possibility of counterfeiting coins would be almost entirely destroyed. He is able to produce specimens, struck on both sides and on the edge at the same time, with one blow of the press, with such perfection, that one may look at the coins thus struck, as having the immense advantage of being inimitable. Every part of the monetary art has been revised, modified and improved by him to such an extent and with such perfection that one would scarcely credit it if actual results were not there to prove his success." The Jury granted a gold medal to Droz, and orders began to pour in upon him from all parts of the world ; various governments consulted him as to improvements in the machinery of their Mints, and we possess the record of a coining-press having been executed by him in 1803 for the King of Spain. In 1802, Droz was made General Administrator of the Coins and Medals of France, and two years later, Napoleon appointed him Keeper of the Mint Museum, an office which he held until 1814. In 1810, the artist took part in a competition for the engraving of the French currency and won the prize ; his patterns were selected unanimously in preference to those of his fourteen competitors. In 1815 again, Droz issued a pattern Five-franc piece of Napoleon I., during the Hundred days ; this coin (illustrated) is very beautiful, and presents a more faithful portrait of the Emperor than on the previous issues. Pattern coins by the artist exist also of Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel, Charles IV. of Spain, &c. Among the coins and medals engraved by Droz during his stay at the Soho Mint are the following pieces : Pattern Halfpenny, 1788, signed D. F. on obv. R. Britannia; — Another, a variety, with neck of King shorter (these occur in bronze, gilt bronze, bright copper, and silver plated) ; — Another, similar, with inscription on edge : RENDER TO CESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE CESAR'S; — Another, without D. F. on obv. ; — Another, the date 1788 in exergue instead of in the legend; — Another, signed DROZ F. in sunk letters on obv. R. Britannia; ex. : 1790; signed DR. F. (2 or 3 var.); — Another, with edge inscribed in raised letters (on the patterns of 1790, the V is substituted for the U); — Another, signed DROZ P.; — Another, with nude figure of Britannia on R. Most of these occur in several metals and are most beautifully struck; there are other varieties with edges plain or of guilloche pattern, and differences in the lettering, stops, &c. The late H. Montagu's Collection contained also Pattern Shillings by Droz, of 1787, with bust of George III., laureate, to r. ; initials D. F. and date below. R. Royal monogram G. R, crowned, within two laurel-branches (2 var.), and Pattern Sixpences, unsigned, of 1788 and 1790, obv. Royal monogram G. R. crowned, within laurel-branches. R. BRITANNIA seated (sev. var.). The copper coinage of Bermuda, struck in 1793 at the Soho Mint, was engraved by this artist, whose name appears in full, on some specimens, on the truncation of George III.'s head; this coinage consisted exclusively of Halfpennies. A variety of the Halfpenny of 1790 occurs which is a " mule " with the obv. of the Bermuda Halfpenny ?. The pattern Halfpennies and Farthings, bearing Droz's signature and the date 1791 are concoctions and have been produced from tampered dies. Of this last date, 1791 , are the Monnerons and Half-Monnerons, struck at Birmingham, and of which a number of varieties are known ; also the artist's patterns for the Constitutional coinage of Louis XVI., with head of Louis XVI. to 1. on obv. and on R. RÉGNE DE LA LOI. 1791. Genius of France writing on tablet (8 var.) ; signature on obv. J. P. DROZ, and on R. D. (illustrated). In 1792, J.-P. Droz was employed by the French Government to engrave about 14.000 plates of assignats (Vide E. Babelon, JeanPierre Droz, Grande Encyclopédie), and in 1793 he also engraved Pattern Ecus of Six Livres of the Republican type. Amongst his earlier medals, that of General Elliot, Governor of Gibraltar (illustrated) is one of the best known. His Portrait-medals of Louis XVI., George III., General Bonaparte, Napoleon I., Charles IV., and Ferdinand VII. of Spain, Louis XVIII., M. Mongis, &c, are all considered very fine. Several medals of Mudie's National Series were contributed by Droz : Settlement of the British at Bombay, 1662 (obv. N° 2); — Lord Nelson's Victories, Trafalgar, 1805 R. N° 6, 2 var.) ; — Capitulation of Pampeluna, 1813 (R. N° 25); — Peace of Paris, 1814 (R. N° 27), &c. The following List of J. P. Droz' coins and medals is taken from M. Gallet's, Quelques notes sur la vie et l'oeuvre du médailleur J.-P. Droz, Neuchâtel, 1902. 1776. Jcton of the Secretaries of King Louis XVI.; — Jeton of the Judges and Consuls of La Rochelle; — 1777- Alliance Medal with Switzerland; — 1780. Jeton of the States of Languedoc; — Alliance Medal with Fr. von Wangen, Prince Bishop of Basle; — 1783. Inauguration Medal of the St. Catherine Market at Paris; — 1785. Jeton of the Mining Company of Fins and Noyant ; — 1788. Jeton of the Philomatic Society of Paris; — George III.'s Insanity ; — 1798. Jeton of the Agricultural Society of Marne; — N. d. Jeton de présence of the Lodge des Ecossais unitaires de France (struck circa 1788); — Unknown Jeton " Auspice non alio" ; — Jeton of the Hostel (sic) de Ville of Paris; — Jeton of the " Maîtres-traiteurs, Rôtisseurs, Pâtissiers " ; — Jeton of Printers and Typographers ; — Jeton of Experts of Buildings ; — Jeton with arms of Artois; — Jeton of the King's Councillors and Notaries; — Unknown Jeton "Ex justitia oritur Abundantia"; — Jeton of the Royal Surgical Academy ; — Jeton of the Procurators of Châtelet ; — 1801. Peace ot Lunéville ; — 1802. Peace of Amiens (Return from Astraea, illustrated); — 1803. Satirical Jeton on the Rupture of the Peace of Amiens ; — Jeton of the Attorneys of the Distric Tribunal of Rouen ; — An XIII. Coronation of the Emperor (R. by Jaley); — Jeton "Le Sénat et le Peuple" (R. by Galle); — Distribution of Eagles to the Army (R. by Jeuffroy) ; — Napoleon to the remains of Desaix (R. by Brenet); — 1804. Consecration of the Emperor (R. by Jeuffroy) ; — Pius VII. consecrating Napoleon I. (R. by Jaley) ; — Projected Invasion of England ; — Descent on England (4 var. ; one with FRAPPE A LONDRES EN 1804); — Messageries impériales, Jeton; — Masonic Jeton, O. de Paris; — 1805. Foundation of the Order of the Iron Crown ; — Commemorative Medal of the Mausoleum of Desaix ; — Pope Pius VII. visits the Paris Mint ; — Allocution to the Army ; — Capture of Ulm and Memmingen (R. by Jaley) ; — Capture of Innsbruck (R. by Brenet); — Defeat of the Austrians, the French flags retaken (R. by Brenet) ; — Battle of Austerlitz (R. by Jaley) ; — Capture of Vienna and Presbourg (R. by Galle) ; — Interview between Francis, Emperor of Austria, and Napoleon, at Urchitz (R. by Andrieu); — Venice returned to Italy (R. by Brenet); — The Column of the Grande Armée (R. by Brenet); — 1806. France and Italy arm 100.000 men for the defence of the Empire (R. by Brenet) ; — The Emperor crosses over the Rhine at Mayence ; — Napoleon commands the Grande Armée (R. by Brenet); — Conquest of Dalmatia (R. by Brenet); — Conquest of Istria (R. by Brenet) ; — Conquest of Naples (R. by Brenet) ; — Continental Blocade (THE ENGLISH CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD ; R. by Jeuffroy) ; — Thanksgivings for Peace (R. by Andrieu) ; — Sovereignties given (R. by Andrieu); — La Vaccine (obv. only); — The Arc de Triomphe (R. by Brenet) ; — The Prince of Baden visits the Mint (R. by Brenet) ; — Marriage of the Prince of Baden with Princess Stéphanie (R. by Andrieu) ; — The Duke of Gaëta elected as Minister of Finance (cited by Bachelin, but Gallet has been unable to verify this attribution) ; — Jeton of the Rouen Hôtel de Ville ; — Jeton of the Compagnie des Salines de l'Est ; — Jeton of the Medical Society of the Department of the Eure ; — Masonic Jeton of the Lodge. des Fréres Unis de Paris ; — 1807. Battle of Eylau (? R. by Brenet) ; — Battle of Friedland (R. by Brenet) ; — Peace of Tilsit, with busts of Napoleon I., Alexander I. and Frederick William III. (R. by Droz); — The Locks on the Rhine; — Jeton of the Agricultural Society of the Seine; — Jeton of the Agricultural Society of the Department of Eure; — Jeton of the Society of Paris Merchants ; — Jeton of the Academic Society of the Children of Apollo ; — Unattributed Jeton, obv. Swan swimming ; R. Cornucopiae, and the legend : SIT FORTVNAE SIGNVM; — Unattributed Jeton, obv. Two Sirens on the water R. Monogram within laurel-branch; — 1808. Battle of Sommo-Sierra (R. by Jeuffroy) ; — 1809. Dr Guillotin (2 var.) ; — Medal of the Bank of France, a pattern ; — Medal of the Bank of France ; — Jeton of the Attorneys of the Tribunal of Commerce ; — Jeton of the Chamber of Commerce of Antwerp ; — Peace of Schönbrunn ; — Jeton of the Messageries impériales; — 1810. Medal struck to the memory of the Duke of Montebello (Marshal Lannes); — Pierre Vignon ; — Prince Kurakin (commemorating his miraculous escape from the Fire at the Austrian Embassy); — Marriage of Napoleon with Marie Louise (obv. by Galle) ; — Jeton, Amateurs de la Cible de Corbeil (Seine-et-Oise) ; — 1812. Battle of Moskowa; — 1813. Battle of Lützen (R. by Brenet); — 1814. Departure for the Army (R. by Brenet); — Prize Jeton for the School of Sorréze ; — 1815. The CVI Regiment to Napoleon, " Souvenir du golfe Juan"; — 1816. Jeton of the Agents de change of Lyons; — 1819. To the brave French Armies (Hercules fighting the enemies of France) ; — Jeton, Second Theâtre francais ; — N. d. Bordeaux presenting keys to Horseman (not struck); — Pasteur Marron, a friend of Droz ; — Jeton ot Master-Bakers of Paris; — Jeton of Stockbrokers ; — Talleyrand, Archchancellor of the Empire (not struck); — Henry IV. (sev. var.); — Louis XII. ; — Jeton, Commerce de bois flotté ; — Jeton, School of Mines of Mont-Blanc ; — Jeton, Chamber of Commerce of Carcassonne ; — Jeton, Approvisionnement en bois flotté de la Haute-Yonne ; — Gaming Counters, with bust of Louis XVIII. ; — 1789. George III., on his Recovery; — 1805. Nelson (obv. by Webb R. by Droz); — 1813. Wellington (obv. by Brenet R. by Droz, England protecting the town of Pampelune) ; — 1814. Peace of Paris (R. by Droz, The Rest of Hercules); — N. d. Establishment of the English at Bombay in 1662 (R. by Mills); — General Elliot, Governor and Defender of Gibraltar, 1782 (executed between 1816 and 1820); — 1801. Medal of the Prince of Peace; — Medal of Louis and Marie Louise of Bourbon. To these must be added a Portrait-medal of Don Manuel Godoy, commemorating the Peace of Badajoz, and dated 1801 (illustrated), which has recently been seen in a German auction sale (Dr E. Merzbacher Nachf., May 1905, lot 1250). Coins. — France. 1786. Pattern Ecu, dit de Calonne ; — 1786. A variety, with inscription on R. FAV. CALONNO &c. ; — 1787. Pattern Louis d'or; — 1791- Pattern of the Ecu constitutional; — 1791. Pattern "Monnerons"; — 1792. Copper-plates for Assignats; — An XI (1803). Pattern Ecu of 5 Francs, with bust of Bonaparte ; — 1806. 40 and 20 Francs, bare head of Napoleon ; — 1812. 40 Francs, laur. head; — 1814. Pattern 5 Francs ; — 1815. Pattern 5 Francs; — Pattern 5 Francs, with bust of Louis XVIII. ; — Pattern 40 Francs, Louis XVIII. — Neuchâtel. 1814. Pattern 5 Francs, with bust of Marshal Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel; — Pattern 2 Francs. — England. 1787. Pattern Shilling of George III.; — 1788. Pattern Halfpennies; — 1790. Pattern Halfpennies ; — 1790 and 1791. Pattern Sixpences; — 1791. Pattern Halfpennies; — 1793. Pattern Halfpennies for Bermuda; — 1795. Pattern Halfpennies of George III. — Spain. Pattern Piastre, Charles IV. and Maria of Parma. — Ha?ti. 1808. Pattern 30, 15 and 7 1/2 Sol Pieces. Napoleon's head by Droz was used on the French gold coins from 1806 to 1814. In Iconographie neuchâteloise, p. 203, Auguste Bachelin describes two medals representing J. P. Droz. There is a Portrait-medallion of him by his son, Jules-Antoine Droz; another, by E. Dubois is reproduced as frontispiece on Gallet's monograph. A small Portraitmedalet {illustrated) by Huguenin fréres was struck to commemorate the Meeting of the Swiss Numismatic Society at La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1902. One of the most successful pupils of Droz was H. F. Brandt, who worked under him, 1808-1813, attained great reputation and became in 1818 Chief-engraver at the Berlin Royal Mint, a post which he held until his death in 1845. Droz was art intimate friend of the great painter, Leopold Robert. M. Roger Marx expresses the following judgment upon the work of this artist : " J. -P. Droz ainsi que N. M. Gatteaux demeurent les derniers artistes de transition hantés par le ressouvenir des doctrines décoratives du siécle de Watteau, et préoccupés des vérités de la nature. " Bibliography. — Information kindly furnished by Federal State Councillor Arnold Robert, Prof. A. Droz-Farny, of Porrentruy, ? M.- Albert Michaud, Keeber of La Chaux-de-Fonds Museum. — Chavignerie et Auvray, op. cit. — F.-A.-M. Jeanneret et.J.-H. Bonhôte, Biographie neuchâteloise, Locle, 1863. — L. Forrer, Médailles artistiques anglaises gravies par des médailleurs d' origine suisse, Revue suisse de Numismatique, 1899. — C.-P. Molard, Notice sur les diverses inventions de M. J.-P. Droz, graveur-mécanicien, etc. — Magasin encyclopédique. — A. Nahul, Annuaire chronologique, 1823. — Dr F.-P. Weber, op. cit. — Montagu, Copper Coins of England, 1893. — Spink & Son, Catalogue of Mr. Montagu's Collection of Coins from George I. to Victoria, London, 1891. — Musée neuchatelois, 1877, pp. 14, 29. — Iconographie neuchâteloise, Auguste Bachelin, p. 203 (description of two medals representing J. -P. Droz). — La Chaux-de-Fonds, son passé et son présent, notes et souvenirs, 1794-1894, p. 55. - Hildegard Lehnert, Henri-Francois Brandt. Leben und Werke, Berlin, 1897. — G. Gallet, Quelques notes sur la Vie et l'aeuvre du médailleur J.-P. Droz, Neuchâtel, 1902. — Bramsen, op. cit. — Dr C. Brunn, Schweizerisches Künstler-Lexikon. 1. In Chalmer's History of Currency in the British Colonies, p. 157, these pieces are termed Pennies, according to an Order in Council of 1st February, 1793.

Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904