22 Swiss Medal 1720 medal Genf DASSIER : SCIPION ET LELIUS A.R. 584 XF RRR 400 Eu

Swiss  Medal 1720 medal Genf  DASSIER : SCIPION ET LELIUS A.R. 584

Grade: XF 
Composition: Silver
Weight: 9.87 gr

 

Jean Dassier, born August 17 or October 17, 1676 in Geneva and died in the same city on November 12, 1763, is a Geneva medalist.

 

Originally from Lyon, the Dassier family fled to Geneva to St. Bartholomew. Jean Dassier is the son of Domaine Dassier (1640-1719), named engraver of the Mint of the Republic of Geneva, and Sara Le Grand. The couple will have six children, including Paul (1681-1768), also a medalist.

In 1703, Jean Dassier married Anne Prévost-Gaudy, of whom he had two sons also mediators, Jacques-Antoine (1715-1759), and Antoine (1718-1780), who would engrave very little. Antoine is the father of Pierre Dassier, general in the service of France and the ancestor of Gustave Ador, president of the Swiss Confederation in 1919-1920.

The Dassiers were the only medalists of their century cited in the Encyclopedia of Diderot and Alembert.

Career [edit | change the code]

After studying in Paris with Jean Mauger and Jean Roëttiers, Jean Dassier becomes the assistant of his father.

In 1712 he was admitted as a master to the goldsmiths’ corporation with his brother Paul. In 1720, Jean Dassier succeeded his father as engraver of the Republic. He successively engraves:

in 1711: Ovid’s Metamorphoses (60 medals) with French Jerome Roussel;

in 1723: The illustrious men of the century of Louis XIV;

in 1725-1728: The Reformers of the Church.

After two trips to London in 1728 and again in 1731, he wrote two series: The Kings of England and The Famous Britons.

The History series of the Roman Republic (1740-1743) is certainly the most sought after and gave rise to a book in 1778 giving the explanation.

In 1738 he was appointed to the Council of Two Hundred. Jean Dassier knew Jean-Jacques Rousseau very well (1712-1778), being like him a citizen of Geneva.

In 1753, he obtained from Montesquieu to engrave a medal with the mention Hinc Jura1.

At his death, his son Jacques-Antoine takes his place as engraver at the Monnaie de Genève. The company Dassier et fils continues to produce watch cases but no longer earns medals.

Rare in this condition

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