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Jean le Rond d’Alembert (1717-1783) was a French mathematician and physicist. He graduated from law school in 1738. His first scientific publication appeared in 1739. He was elected to the Académie des Sciences in 1741 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1748. In 1743, his work on the laws of motion was published. He worked on algebraic theory and also became interested in music theory, resulting in the mathematical analysis of vibrating strings.

Medal

Bronze. France 1785. Signed. Posthumous.

Size

61 mm

Artist

Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux F. (1751-1832), French medallist Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux F. (1751-1832), French medallist from Paris, medallist to the King. From a young age he worked for the Paris Medal Mint. Very prolific, he engraved more than 289 medals before 1802. Inventor of the copying machine which was a prototype of the reducing machine. He was one of the greatest medallists of 18th century. He usually signed his works in full, though there are a few instances when he used his abbreviated signature N. GA. (Forrer 2, 209)

Obverse

Nude head to left; in a curve above, J. D’ALEMBERT; below truncation, in a curve, N. GATTEAUX F. 1785

Reverse

Two laurel branches forming a circle, crossed and tied with ribbon; in the field, A / L’IMMOR / TALITÉ in three parallel lines.

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