{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O311985"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O311985/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN5042/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN5042/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN5042","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN5041","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O311985","accessionNumber":"A.83-1920","objectType":"Plaquette","titles":[{"title":"Destruction of Rheims Cathedral, The","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This bronze plaquette was made by Ovide Yencesse in France, after 1914. This plaquette depicts Rheims Cathedral which was shelled and set ablaze by German forces on 20 September 1914, less than a month after Leuven in neutral Belgium had been attacked. Much of Leuven was destroyed, and universal condemnation followed the loss of its internationally defining moments for the Allies in much the same way that the sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915 was to draw American into the War. \r\n\r\nYencesse, known for his lyrical, softly-rendered images, portrays the famous statue of the Virgin and Child, from the centre doorway of the Cathedra's west portal adding a right forearm and hand holding the French lily to increase the propaganda function of this plaquette. Medals like this one may have been distributed to those who contributed to the rebuilding of the Cathedral as a reward and tangible reminder of the need to defend religious and cultural beliefs.","physicalDescription":"Obv., a standing statue of the Madonna and Child, against a background of smoke and flames. Rev., Rheims Cathedral enveloped in smoke. Edge has an incuse BRONZE.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Yencesse, Ovide","id":"A28625"},"association":{"text":"medallists","id":"AAT25337"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[{"text":"Plaques & Plaquettes","id":"THES49031"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AN5042","2006AN5041"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"039","id":"THES395381"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Plaquette","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"France","id":"x28849"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1914-1918","earliest":"1914-01-01","latest":"1918-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"65.5","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"42.5","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"\"O. YENCESSE,\" \"SPES NOSTRA SALVE\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"obv."},{"content":"\"REIMS 1914,\" \"INCENDERINT IGNI SANCTVUARIVM TVVM POLLVERVNT TABERNACVLVM NOMINIS TVI\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"\"They will have burnd thy sanctuary with fire and they have cleansed the tabernacle of thy name.\"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"rev."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Plaquette, destruction of Rheims Cathedral/view of Cathedral, by Ovide Yencesse, French, after 1914.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<font -u>One by One: European Commemorative Medals of the Great War 1914-1918.</font> London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1998. cat. no. 37."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Exh. cat., <u>La médaille en France de Ponscarme à la fin de la Belle Epoque</u>, Hôtel de la Monnaie, Paris, 1967."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Virgin and Child","id":"N4691"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"smoke","id":"AAT73252"},{"text":"flames","id":"AAT9910"},{"text":"cathedral","id":"AAT7501"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.83-1920"],"accessionNumberNum":"83","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1920,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-13","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}