1687 France Louis XIV AE Damascened Medal on the Establishment of Saint-Cyr

1687 France Louis XIV AE Damascened Medal on the Establishment of Saint-Cyr, by N. Delahaye and T. Bernard. Plain edge.
LUDOVICUS MAGNUS REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS, laureate armored and draped older bust right, DELAHAYE below || CCC PVELLÆ NOBILES SANCIRIANAE, Piety, surrounded by young ladies of Saint-Cyr, the buildings of the Royal School behind, PIETAS MDCLXXXVII T BERNARD F in exergue.
72mm, 136.76g. Divo-.
In uncirculated condition, with gilding intact. A choice example with lovely chocolate brown surfaces. An extremely rare type that has never been offered publicly as a damascened example.

Expertly damascened, a famed technique popular in the Baroque era, particularly in France. The raised surfaces have been carefully gilded in gold, creating a striking and beautiful bicolor appearance. These medals are extremely rare and were used as presentation pieces in the French Court.

The Maison Royale de Saint-Louis at Saint-Cyr was founded in 1686 by King Louis XIV to provide a royal educational institution for impoverished young noblewomen. The institution was built at Saint-Cyr, bordering Versailles, at the urging of the Madame de Maintenon, a deeply pious woman who was the King’s second wife and an influential figure at the French court. The institution was created to educate the daughters of impoverished French noblemen, many of whose family fortunes had declined through the many wars fought by Louis XIV. Saint-Cyr provided these women with religious instruction, as well as reading, writing, arithmetic, music, and domestic skills, all aimed at preparing them for marriage and a respectable position in society. At the time of founding, the school accommodated nearly 300 girls.