GIES: WWI See Gefecht

[Bronzemonger]

[ externes Bild ]

See Gefecht [Sea Engagement], 1917, Cast Bronze, 67mmX40mm uniface oval medal, RRR (only one available outside museums), (Ernsting WVZ109, Frankenhuis 1328; Bernhart 111).

Two carp engage in defensive water-spitting as they approach each other in pre-battle. On their backs are groups of medieval Landsknechte* warriors with pikes (spiess), military forks**, shields, battle banners and standards***.

Throughout the WWI period, Gies used medieval symbolism as a mirror to the struck commemorative medal he refused to make. He was already seen as a defeatist in the eyes of authority and he refused to draw his art from the emotional depiction of heroes fighting and dying in fictitious theatres of war in a patriotic spirit of sacrifice.

Medal Availability/Location
Cast Bronze
(1) Hamburger Kunsthalle
(1) London British Museum
(1) Munich Staaliche Munzsammlung
(1) Vienna Kunsthistoriches Museum
(1) Available for private collection

Cast Bronze, Versilbert (silver plated)
(1) Stuttgart, Wurttembergisches Landesmuseum

Cast Iron
(1) Available for private collection


[ externes Bild ]

*Landsknechts (singular Landsknecht, German plural Landsknechte, sometimes also in English publications) were European, most often German, mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of the European Renaissance.

**Military Fork - a weapon consisting of a pronged pair of blades or spikes affixed to the end of a long staff. Military forks were of fairly low popularity, but could easily be adapted from agricultural implements. They were influenced by the Trident, which although not a medieval weapon was remembered as a gladiatorial weapon

*** Battle Banner/Standard A flag of heraldic design, long and tapering, possibly with a rounded or double-rounded (lanceolate or double-tailed descate) fly carrying the owner’s badge and motto (sometimes also a national symbol or personal arms), and bordered in his livery colours. Originally used as an identifying symbol by medieval noblemen, and still occasionally flown by those entitled to it – a heraldic.

[helcaraxe]

Thank you for sharing these interesting medal with us!