Cyrano de Bergerac

An 18 carat gold Art Nouveau medaille bijou representing Cyrano de Bergerac, the main character from the play by Edmond Rostand (1868-1918), a soldier and poet who loves his cousin Roxane but only courts her through Christian de Neuvillette, a soldier in his unit, who is loved by Roxane, together Christian and Cyrano are the perfect lover; smart and good looking, the mascerade ends in tragedy, signed: F. Rasumny, monogrammed: PM, France, circa 1900.

Felix Rasumny (1869-1940) was a Russian engraver, born in Sebastopol, who emigrated to France. He trained at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs under masters as Millet, Gauthier and Tasset. Felix regularly exhibited, including at the Salon of the Société des Artistes Francais 1891 and at the Exposition Universelle 1900 (silver medal). He became a member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1911 and was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1933.

His work includes; the massive cast iron maquette celebrating the opening of Pont Alexandre III for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle as well as being commissioned to design medals, jewellery, medallions and the 1929 10 francs coin.

Literature: cf. Art Nouveau Jewelry Vivienne Becker 1985, p.231 & 236
Art Nouveau, The French Aesthetic
Victor Arwas, 2002, pp. 363 & 364
E. Benezit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs Dessinateurs et Graveurs, vol.7.