Prince Albert, President of the Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition

This small bronze medal brings us face to face with Prince Albert, captured in profile during the very year of the Great Exhibition. His serious, classical features dominate the obverse, rendered with a crispness that belies the medal's diminutive size. The artist, William Wyon, served as chief engraver at the Royal Mint and designed many coins and medals for the British monarchy. Here, he portrays Albert not just as a royal figure, but as the driving force behind the 1851 Great Exhibition, a monumental event that showcased global innovation and industry. The reverse of the medal, not visible here, would have celebrated the exhibition itself, making this portrait a key component of a larger commemorative object. This piece reflects the era's fascination with Neoclassicism, evident in the prince's idealized profile, which echoes ancient Roman portraiture and elevates the subject's status.