Stanisław August Poniatowski - adoption of the Constitution of 3 May

Among the period medals commemorating the reforms of the Four-Year Sejm and the 3rd May Constitution the most impressive and rich in content is the work of the Dutch medallist Johann Georg Holzhey († 1808), created on the initiative of two citizens of Amsterdam - Gülcher and Mülder. They presented the gold medal together with a letter of commendation to King Stanislaw August Poniatowski through a Warsaw banker Piotr Blank. The event was reported in the 17 August 1791 issue of "Gazeta Narodowa y Obca", in which the letter was published. It contains, among other things, the following words: "[...] we were looking for a way to immortalise this great event, and so we persuaded Mr Holzhey, a famous artist, to mint a medal appropriate to the occasion".

Its obverse is decorated with an image of the head of Stanisław August Poniatowski wearing an oak wreath, with the Order of the White Eagle at his shoulder. The representation is surrounded by a Latin inscription, translated as: "Stanislaus Augustus, by God's grace, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Father of the Fatherland". The reverse of the work is filled with symbolic content referring to the work of the Constitution of May 3rd. Their understanding in the epoch is reflected in the description of the medal published in "Gazeta Narodowey y Obcey" - "[...] on the other side we can see a globe on which the Polish Coats of Arms are engraved, on this globe there is a sign [christogram] expressing Christian tolerance, and a crown of stone, making an allusion to the privileges of cities. On the side a winged angel (signifying the genius of revolution) trampling down with his feet the crushed yoke and bonds. [In one hand the angel holds the cap of liberty, in the other an olive rod and Mercury's caduceus, as a sign of the universal happiness which will flow down from this event onto the whole country. Leaning against the globe are the consular bunches of the senate and the knightly state, with dragonflies and the sword of justice; as proof that the magistrates and tribunals [...] are to dispense equal justice throughout the whole country. [...] the eye of divine providence, casting rays [...] as a sign of its miraculous power, in restoring reasonable freedom to the whole nation; in strengthening tolerance".

The symbolism is completed by Latin inscriptions - in the rim: "TERRORE LIBERA" ("Free from fear"), and at the bottom: "By glorious decree of the Sejm of 3 May 1791". On the reverse we read the author's signature: "I. G HOLZHEY FEC" ("Made by Johann Georg Holtzhey").

Tomasz Markiewicz