Médaille France Bronze 1931

This rectangular plaquette was issued on the occasion of the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition in Paris, a major event held at the Bois de Vincennes that celebrated the French colonial empire. It pays tribute to Marshal Hubert Lyautey, a central figure of this event whose general direction he oversaw, and an emblematic personality of the French presence in Morocco, where he served as Resident-General from 1912 to 1925.

The term plaquette in numismatics refers to a struck or cast piece of non-circular shape, generally rectangular, belonging more to the art of the medal than to conventional coinage. This type of object was frequently produced to commemorate official events, personalities or institutions, and was a favoured medium for medal artists of the Third Republic.

The obverse of this plaquette most likely features a portrait of Marshal Lyautey, a military and colonial figure decorated with the Médaille Militaire and numerous French and foreign distinctions. His effigy was a recurring subject of representation in the medal production of the period, in connection with his prominent role in the organisation of the exhibition.

This type of piece is part of the tradition of prestigious French medals from the early 20th century, characterised by particular care given to the rendering of portraits and the refinement of inscriptions. The commemorative plaquettes of the 1931 Colonial Exhibition are today historical and artistic testimonies of this period, reflecting both the political and cultural context of colonial France and the level of mastery achieved by French medal engraving workshops under the Third Republic.