NOCQ, HENRY (French). Contemporary Sculptor and Medallist, and one of the most qualified representatives of modern French Art, was born at Paris on 13. January 1868. He studied under Chapu, and first began to exhibit at the Paris Salon in 1887. In 1890 he competed for the Prix de Rome in medal-engraving. At the Salon of 1889 he obtained a Mention honorable. For the last fifteen years, the artist has been a constant exhibitor at the Salons of Plaquettes, Medals, Chasings in various metals, Enamel works, Carvings in ivory, wood, etc. In 1900, he was awarded a Silver medal. Specimens of Nocq's medallic and other productions are on exhibition at the Luxemburg Museum, Paris; Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London ; and Museums at Brussels, Hamburg, Dresden. Prague, Vienna, &c. In 1896, the artist published a volume entitled: "Tendances nouvelles ", which is a collection of personal views of notorious artists on the contemporary decorative arts. Writing about Nocq and Charpentier, M. Roger Marx mentions the numerous objects of all sorts for which they are responsible, and adds: "The future should take heed of the value of these works, and be grateful to the medallists for having by their co-operation hastened on the revival of gold-and silversmith's work, of upholstery, of binding, and indeed of each one of the so-called domestic arts". (Studio, xv, 22). H. Nocq is a member of the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts, A. C. N. of the Société des antiquaires de France, and a Knight of the Legion of Honour. André Michel, conservateur de la sculpture du moyen âge et des temps modernes au Musée du Louvre, writes: "Toutes ses médailles sont d'une singuli?re pénétration dans la notation de la ressemblance individuelle et d'un go?t tr?s pittoresque dans la présentation. Vous y trouverez tour ? tour des souvenirs librement adaptés des médailles du quinzi?me et du seizi?me si?cle, les preuves d'une érudition historique tr?s bien informée, d'une grande habileté technique et d'une jolie verve primesauti?re, et je vous laisse le soin de doser et de combiner ces divers éléments pour établir « l'équation personnelle » de M. Henry Nocq " (Journal des Débats, Paris, 26 mai 1903). Among his best known medallic productions, I may mention the following Portrait-plaquettes, which are all marked with the stamp of deep originality : A. Rodin (2 plaquettes, 1 medal, 1902, 1903); — E. Zola; — Anatole France (2 plaquettes, and one medal, 1902); — Octave Mirbeau; — G. Geffroy; — G: Clémenceau; — Colonel Picquart; — Paul Margueritte (illustrated) ; — Henri Bataille, 1901 ; — Maxime Maufra painter, 1902; — George B***; — Mme la Comtesse de P*** ; — C. V. Alvan aîné; — Mme Ellen Andrée; — Mme L. de P***; — Yvette Guilbert, Portrait-plaquette 1893; — Léon Hennique; — The two Rosnys ; — Paul et Victor Margueritte; — J. K. Huysmans ;— Elemir Bourges ; — Descaves; — J. F. Raffaelli, 1901 ; — Paule; — Paul Lallemand ; — C. Clermont-Ganneau (illustrated) ; — E. Molinier, 1901 ; — Le p?re Monsabré, dominicain, 1888; — General Boulanger, 1888 ; — Ma grand'm?re, 1888 ; — Endymion's sleep, silver medal, 1890; — Venus and Cupid, silver medal; — General the Marquis of Ormesson, Portrait-medallion, 1891; — Madame A. de Caillart, 1903 ; — E. Gallé (of Nancy) ; — Georges Lecomte, 1904; — J. Renard, 1904; — J. J. Weerts, 1904; — O. Sains?re, 1906 ; — C. Roll, 1907 ; — Princess Marie Ténicheff, 1907; — Joachim, 1907; — Gustave Basin; — Insignia of the Franco-Japanese Society ; — Dom Montfaucon Medal of the Historical Society of the Sixth Arrondissement of Paris; — Diana, (Société du fusil de chasse), 1900; — L'Ours et le Samura? ; — La Famille, Haec sunt ornamenta mea (for the Société des Amis de la Médaillé), etc. Nocq has been a regular exhibitor at the Paris Salons for many years, and in 1906 he nad a frame of medals at the Royal Academy, London, which attracted well-deserved notice. “ Artiste de go?t et d'intelligence ", wrote Saulnier in Revue de Paris, " Nocq eut Chapu pour maître, et il semble avoir appris de lui le modelé simple et ferme, le secret des arrangements décoratifs. Ses plaquettes, ses bijoux (bracelets, broches, anneaux, épingles, boucles de ceinture, miroirs), outre qu'ils sont pratiques, de belle mati?re, doux ? la caresse de la main, délicieusement appropriés ? l'élégance de la femme, ont toutes les qualités de style, de pureté, d'entente décorative qu'exige la glyptique. M. H. Nocq est 1 un des artistes les plus réfléchis et les mieux doués de notre Renaissance moderne ". Henry Nocq, le délicat artiste qui a eu une si large part dans la rénovation du bijou, s'est affirmé ? la fois sculpteur, médailleur et ouvrier d'art. Esprit judicieux et réfléchi, il semblait réunir toutes les qualités exigées pour réussir dans l'art qui nous occupe. Les nécessités de la vie en ont décidé autrement et il n'a pu signer jusqu'ici qu'un nombre restreint de médailles et de plaquettes. Mais ce sont des ?uvres parfaites. Nous n'en voulons pour preuve que la Diane qui décore la médaille de la société "Le Fusil de Chasse" et la série de médaillons que l'on a pu voir aux derniers Salons. Tr?s poussés, ils dénotent en Henry Nocq un observateur avisé. Il suffit de citer les portraits de E. Molinier, de E. Carri?re et la série d'effigies de membres de l'Académie des Goncourt " (Art décoratif) : Gustave Babin, critique d'art, secrétaire général de la Société des Amis du Luxembourg, further states : " On finira peut-?tre, un jour, par reconnaître que M. Henry Nocq est le plus intelligent, le plus personnel, — et pourtant le plus traditionnel des joailliers et des médailleurs d'? présent; je ne fais aucune exception, heureux de prendre date en vous signalant et cette vivante effigie de Roll, et celle de M. Olivier Sains?re, et la plaquette de Joachim, et ces bagues d'une supr?me ingéniosité de composition, comme d'une distinction infinie". M. Nocq has published several articles in connection with the decorative, and what may be called also the domestic arts in various artistic reviews. His critique of the new French coinage, which appeared in " Les Arts de la vie ", and was reproduced in "Spink and Son's Numismatic Circular" (October 1906, col. 9391- 94) shows him as a competent judge, whose opinion deserves consideration. Bibliography. — Information kindly supplied by the artist. — Charles Saunier, Quelques médaillons de Contemporains par Henry Nocq, Art et Décoration, 1903, p. 105. — Art décoratif, 1901. — The Studio, XV, p. 22. — Roger Marx, Médailleurs francais, 1887. — Catalogues du Salon, 1888-1906. — Gazette numismatique francaise, 1900, p. 429.— Nouveau Larousse illustré (supplément). — Emile Molinier, Revue de I'art ancien et moderne, 1902-1903. — Gustave Geffroy, La vie artistique t. VI, 336, 442. — Dr A. J. de Dompierre de Chaufepié, Médailles et Plaquettes modernes, liv. XIV, p. 118; PI. LXXXII, LXXXIII.
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
MYRON
MYRON (Greek). A celebrated Greek Sculptor, a native of Eleutherae in Boeotia; pupil of Ageladas of Argos, lived about B.C. 500-440. Not only was he one of the most famous artists in antiquity, but one of his works, the renowned Discobolos, is at the present day almost the best known example of Greek sculpture of this period, if not of all times. We are fortunate in possessing not only several admirable copies of this statue, but also of another famous work, the Satyr Marsyas. On the other hand ...
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MYRON (Greek). A celebrated Greek Sculptor, a native of Eleutherae in Boeotia; pupil of Ageladas of Argos, lived about B.C. 500-440. Not only was he one of the most famous artists in antiquity, but one of his works, the renowned Discobolos, is at the present day almost the best known example of Greek sculpture of this period, if not of all times. We are fortunate in possessing not only several admirable copies of this statue, but also of another famous work, the Satyr Marsyas. On the other hand ...
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MYRTON
MYRTON (Greek). Gem-engraver of the first century A.D. (?) The gem reproduced here is from Reinach's engraving, which is copied from impressions in the Strozzi Cabinet at Rome. The original is no longer extant, but there are pastes of it. The subject is, Venus riding on a swan. A copy by Cerbera came into the British Museum with the Blacas collection. The engraving and inscription, remarks Reinach, offer nothing suspicious. King describes the Blacas gem as Leda, the swan flying towards her, and ...
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MYRTON (Greek). Gem-engraver of the first century A.D. (?) The gem reproduced here is from Reinach's engraving, which is copied from impressions in the Strozzi Cabinet at Rome. The original is no longer extant, but there are pastes of it. The subject is, Venus riding on a swan. A copy by Cerbera came into the British Museum with the Blacas collection. The engraving and inscription, remarks Reinach, offer nothing suspicious. King describes the Blacas gem as Leda, the swan flying towards her, and ...
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NAPIER, FRANCIS
NAPIER, FRANCIS (Brit). A contract was passed between James IV. and Napier, 5th September 1591, by which it was ordered that the " haill aucht and fourpenny peces, at the leist fourteine hundreth stane veocht", were to be brought in and delivered to the said Francis Napier within the space of four years, to be reduced to the fineness of ten and a half deniers; as also all the other billon money — " penniys and twa penny plakis onlie exceptit " — these last being the half-hardheads with l-R. Bi...
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NAPIER, FRANCIS (Brit). A contract was passed between James IV. and Napier, 5th September 1591, by which it was ordered that the " haill aucht and fourpenny peces, at the leist fourteine hundreth stane veocht", were to be brought in and delivered to the said Francis Napier within the space of four years, to be reduced to the fineness of ten and a half deniers; as also all the other billon money — " penniys and twa penny plakis onlie exceptit " — these last being the half-hardheads with l-R. Bi...
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NASSARO, MATTEO DAL
NASSARO, MATTEO DAL (Ital.). 1515- † 1547 or 1548. Painter, Goldsmith, Gem-, and Coin-engraver, and Medallist, son of a shoemaker of Verona, Jacopo dal Nassaro. In his youth, he learned drawing and music, and was taught engraving by the two Veronese artists, Galeazzo Mondella, who was a clever daughtsman, and Niccolo Avanzi, who distinguished himself at Rome. One of his first works of note was a Deposition from the Cross in bloodstone, so managed that the sanguine spots of the jasper represente...
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NASSARO, MATTEO DAL (Ital.). 1515- † 1547 or 1548. Painter, Goldsmith, Gem-, and Coin-engraver, and Medallist, son of a shoemaker of Verona, Jacopo dal Nassaro. In his youth, he learned drawing and music, and was taught engraving by the two Veronese artists, Galeazzo Mondella, who was a clever daughtsman, and Niccolo Avanzi, who distinguished himself at Rome. One of his first works of note was a Deposition from the Cross in bloodstone, so managed that the sanguine spots of the jasper represente...
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