Medal - Napoleon Orphelines de la Légion D'Honneur

Reverse

A young female orphan seated facing right in attitude of mourning, resting at the foot of a tombstone which bears the insignia of the Legion of Honour. On her lap lies a closed book on which her hand rests. Over the tomb a laurel tree spreads its branches, from which a wreath is suspended. In the background at right a work basket of sewing materials. Near rim at left and right is small lettering. Lettering and date in Roman numerals in exergue

Lettering:
ORPHELINES DE LA LÉGION D'HONNEUR
MDCCCX
DENON. D.
DEPAULIS. F.

Translation:
Depaulis fecit = Depaulis made me
MDCCCX = 1,000 + 500 + 300 + 10 [1810]

Engraver: Alexis-Joseph Depaulis

Edge

Plain

Comment

Paris Mint, France. Medal commemorating the Orphans of the Members of the Légion d'honneur, 1810
There is also a silver version. Ess.1315.
Reference: Laskey CXVIII - [Book] J. C. Laskey, Medals Struck at the National Medal Mint by Order of Napoleon Bonaparte
 Another version has same reverse but Henry IV portrait on obverse.
Significance: "Napoleon having established an Asylum for the female orphans of those who had received the honorable insignia of the Legion of Honour, the establishment was endowed and fixed in the Rue Barbette, No. 2, at Paris, under the name of the Maison Royale des Orphelines de la Legion d'Honneur: here 300 girls are educated by the sect of religious women, designated by the name of Dames de la Mere de Dieu." Laskey p. 192 (written in 1818).
 Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon (1747 - 1825) was a French artist, writer, diplomat, author, and archaeologist. He was appointed as the first Director of the Louvre museum by Napoleon after the Egyptian campaign of 1798–1801, and is commemorated in the Denon Wing of the modern museum.

 Closer images of lettering under bust on obverse and in exergue on reverse

 Closer images of lettering on left and right of reverse