LAUNE, ÉTIENNE DE, also STEPHANUS LAUNUS ; — ETIENNE DE LAULNE, or DELAULNE (French). A celebrated Goldsmith, Medallist, and Line-engraver, born at Paris circ. 1519, died there in 1583. By letters patent of the 31. January 1552, he was appointed Mintengraver at Paris, in conjunction with Jean Erondelle, but already deposed, in favour of Jacques Béguin, on the 25. June of the same year. Towards the end of his lite, he went over to Germany ; in 1573 and 1580 he was working at " Argentina " (Strassburg), in 1576 at " Augusta " (Augsburg), and it is most probable that he also resided at Nuremberg, but he returned to Paris some little time before his death, which according to La Croix du Maine took place on Whitsunday, 1583. Etienne de Laune's fame as a Goldsmith stands unrivalled in France in the sixteenth century. Cellini's works seem to have inspired some of his earlier productions in chasing. Among his most important pieces of plate are the celebrated Ewer and Tray of the Leyland Collection (reproduced in Lasteyrie, Histoire de I'Orf?vrerie, p. 243) and a cup in the Louvre, supported by a beautiful figure of Bacchus, the body of which represents Venus forging the arms of Aeneas. This artist is considered as one of the most pleasing Copper-plate engravers of the French Renaissance. A number of drawings by his hand of medals, coins, jetons, seals and jewels are still preserved at the Biblioth?que Nationale, Paris. " Toutes les compositions de ce Maître se distinguent par un respect scrupuleux de la forme ; l'ornementation, si riche qu'elle soit, n'en vient jamais altérer la pureté, ni dénaturer la donnée premi?re" (Lasteyrie, op. cit., 245). M. Mazerolle calls Etienne de Laune one of the cleverest sixteenth century medallists and gives a list of his medallic productions : 1551. Henry II., signed S on obv. R. SVA.CIRCVIT. ORBE.FAMA. Victory to r. on globe; 35 mill, (illustrated); — Do, 1552., signed S behind the head of the King. R. NOMEN.AD. ASTRA. 1552 L (Launius) Diana; 21 mill, (on a specimen in the Munich Cabinet the letter E shows quite distinctly after the date); — Do, Similar obv. R. SIC.FAMA.VIRESCIT. 1552. L. Fame holding palm-branch and laurel-wreath, 21 mill. ; — Do, HENRICVS. II. DEI. G.FRANCO. REX. Laur. bust of Henry II. in cuirass R. SIC.FAMA.VIRESCIT. 1552. L. Victory seated to 1. on orb, holding palm-branch and laurel-wreath ; in the field : S. (The letter S was de Laune's usual signature on his engravings);— Do, HENRICVS II GALLIARVM REX INVICTISS.P.P. Laur. bust in cuirass; R. OB RES IN ITAL-GERM ET GAL FORTITER- AC FOELIC GESTAS. Fame driving a quadriga in whch are Abundance and Victory ; beneath : EX VOTO PVB; 1552; 54 mill. ; — Do, A variety with Abundance and Victory standing in quadriga ; — Do, Similar obv. ; R. RESTITVTA REP - SEENNSI, &c., within laurel-wreath ; 56 mill. ; — Henry II. and Catherine de' Medici, 1555, Obv. Similar bust of Henry II; R. KATHARINA DE MEDICIS REGINA FRANCORVM. Bust to l. of the Queen; beneath : 1555; 54 mill.; — Henry II. Obv. Similar bust, with legend : HENRICVS II FRANCOR REX INVICTIS?. P P' ; R. TE COPIA LAVRO ET FAMA BEARVNT. Fame driving quadriga; beneath, NVIA ; 53 mill.; — Antoine de Bourbon, Obv. ANTONIVS DEI G REX NAVARRAE. Bust of King to r. in cuirass; R. REX CONSERVATOR. The King extending his hand to a ploughman; ex : PROVIDENTIA | 1559; 37 mill.; — Do, Similar Obv. ; R. ADVERSIS - NESCIA - VINCI. Prudence seated to l. holding a mirror to her face, and a serpent; ex. : COMITIA - AVR | 1560; 37 mill.; — Do, Similar Obv.; R. Nine female figures, five to l. and four to r. supporting in the air a figure of Victory holding two wreaths; ex. : FELICITAS | ; 37 mill.; — Do, Bust of King in cuirass ; R. AVXIL - MEVM - A - DOMINO . Hand issuing from the clouds placing a sword in the hands of a crowned figure ; in front of him, the four gods Jupiter, Aeolus, Neptune, and Time ; ex : IN - FIL - HOM - NON - EST SALVS 1562; 42 mill., &c. Mazerolle gives the following jetons to Etienne de Laune: — 1559. Chambre des Comptes ; — 1560. Chambre des Comptes. R. Mercury ; — 1561. Jeton banal; — 1564. Gendarmerie de France; — Catherine de Clermont, 1564. Many others are given by Mariette in his Abecedario, but they cannot be authenticated. It is difficult to say what share the artist had in the cutting of the dies of the milled Testons and Half Testons of 1552, in which year he held the appointment of Mint-engraver in conjunction with Jean Erondelle and Jacques Béguin, but comparison of style between these and the Henry II. medals by de Laune which present the same characteristics, seems to show that they were both by the same hand. Referring to the three first medals above described by Etienne de Laune, of which only later specimens are known from restored dies, M. Mazerolle says : " L'expression de la physionomie royale est charmante et les figures des revers ont cette maigreur caractéristique qu'affectionnaient les artistes du r?gne de Henri II ". A Portrait-medal in lead, unsigned, of Jean Rabel of Beauvais (illustrated), in Mr. Max Rosenheim's collection, belongs perhaps to the school of Etienne de Laune, but M. Mazerolle and other experts are not inclined to ascribe it to that artist. I may further add that in the Beauvais Archives nothing could be found concerning this Jean Rabel. Etienne de Laune's engravings, which date from 1561 to 1581, are occasionally signed Stephanas F or S. F. The signature Stephanus f. occurs on a Portrait-medal of Gabriel Schlüsselberger of Nuremberg, 1574 (illustrated). Erman has no hesitation to give it to Etienne de Laune, who, having embraced the reformed faith, went over to Germany some time after 1569. Another medal, that of Hans Huetter and his wife Ursula, although unsigned, exhibits identical work. M. Mazerolle however does not share Erman's view and thinks the Schüsselberger medal is absolutely German in character and has no point in common with the known French works of de Laune. Bibliography. — F. Mazerolle, Les Médailleurs francais, 1902. — Ibid., Etienne de Laune et Guillaume Martin, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, t. VIII, p. 312. — Blanchet, op. cit. — Lasteyrie, op. cit. — Erman, Deutsche Medailleure, 1884. — Kull, Repertorium, 11, 710.
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
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
LAFFERT, HEINRICH
LAFFERT, HEINRICH (Germ.). Mint-master at Posen previous to 1612, then at Driessen, 1612-1615, under Johann Sigmund, Prince-Elector of Brandenburg. He undertook to coin at Driessen imitation Hungarian Ducats, Thalers and Groschen. I have noticed his initials H. L. on a Thaler of Sigmund, Margrave of Brandenburg, 1612. Andreas Laffert was a brother of Heinrich Laffert, who, according to Kirmis, filled also the post of Assayer-general to the Crown of Poland from 1604/8 to 1617. Bibliography. — C. ...
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LAFFERT, HEINRICH (Germ.). Mint-master at Posen previous to 1612, then at Driessen, 1612-1615, under Johann Sigmund, Prince-Elector of Brandenburg. He undertook to coin at Driessen imitation Hungarian Ducats, Thalers and Groschen. I have noticed his initials H. L. on a Thaler of Sigmund, Margrave of Brandenburg, 1612. Andreas Laffert was a brother of Heinrich Laffert, who, according to Kirmis, filled also the post of Assayer-general to the Crown of Poland from 1604/8 to 1617. Bibliography. — C. ...
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LAFITTE
LAFITTE (French). Medallist of the early part of the nineteenth century, who worked on Mudie's National Series of English Medals. His signature occurs on the following medals : Battle of Talavera, 1809, obv. Bust of Wellington, by Mills R. Victory facing (illustrated), &c., signed LAFITTE ; — The English Army upon the Scheldt, 1815, obv. Bull to r., by Depaulis R. River-god reclining to r., signed LF. F. A Draughtsman and Historical Painter of the name of Louis Lafitte, 1770- 1828, designed vari...
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LAFITTE (French). Medallist of the early part of the nineteenth century, who worked on Mudie's National Series of English Medals. His signature occurs on the following medals : Battle of Talavera, 1809, obv. Bust of Wellington, by Mills R. Victory facing (illustrated), &c., signed LAFITTE ; — The English Army upon the Scheldt, 1815, obv. Bull to r., by Depaulis R. River-god reclining to r., signed LF. F. A Draughtsman and Historical Painter of the name of Louis Lafitte, 1770- 1828, designed vari...
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LAFLEUR, ABEL
LAFLEUR, ABEL (French). Contemporary Sculptor and Medallist, born at Rodez (Aveyron) ; pupil of Ponscarme and Chaplain. At the Salon of 1901, he exhibited a frame containing four Portraitplaquettes, and a medal "Souvenir"; in 1902, three Portraitplaquettes, and a medal representing a Lady seated; in 1903, Portrait of Mme X***; — Medal " Femme églantine "; — Femme aux gants; — Femme au manchon ; — Femme nue, apr?s le bain ; — Danseuse; — in 1904 ; — Femme au bain, plaquette, 1904; — Baigneuse ; —...
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LAFLEUR, ABEL (French). Contemporary Sculptor and Medallist, born at Rodez (Aveyron) ; pupil of Ponscarme and Chaplain. At the Salon of 1901, he exhibited a frame containing four Portraitplaquettes, and a medal "Souvenir"; in 1902, three Portraitplaquettes, and a medal representing a Lady seated; in 1903, Portrait of Mme X***; — Medal " Femme églantine "; — Femme aux gants; — Femme au manchon ; — Femme nue, apr?s le bain ; — Danseuse; — in 1904 ; — Femme au bain, plaquette, 1904; — Baigneuse ; —...
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LAGAE, JULES
LAGAE, JULES (Belg.). Contemporary Sculptor and Medallist, born at Roulers, 15. March 1862, and now residing at Brussels. Pupil of Charles Van der Stappen, and Lambeaux. He has produced several decorative works, among the more notable being a Medal for the Brussels Exhibition of 1897, and the monument erected in memory of the poet, Ledeganck ; also : La Ville de Gand, Plaquette ; — Portrait-medal of M. Edouard Simon, Burgomaster of Perwelz, 1902. In 1888, the artist obtained the Prix of de Rome,...
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LAGAE, JULES (Belg.). Contemporary Sculptor and Medallist, born at Roulers, 15. March 1862, and now residing at Brussels. Pupil of Charles Van der Stappen, and Lambeaux. He has produced several decorative works, among the more notable being a Medal for the Brussels Exhibition of 1897, and the monument erected in memory of the poet, Ledeganck ; also : La Ville de Gand, Plaquette ; — Portrait-medal of M. Edouard Simon, Burgomaster of Perwelz, 1902. In 1888, the artist obtained the Prix of de Rome,...
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