1740 / 1958 AD., German States, Austria, Habsburg monarchy, medal on empress Elisabeth Christine by Matthäus Donner, re-edition of 1914, cf. Brockmann I, 436a.
Österreich-Habsburg, Bronzemedaille / Gnadenmedaille, von Matthäus Donner (Wien), auf die Witwenschaft der Kaiserin Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig, Tochter Ludwig Rudolfs von Braunschweig- Wolfenbüttel, Gemahlin Kaiser Karls VI. (1711-1740), Original nach 1740 AD., als Neuprägung datiert 1914 AD.,
Æ-Medaille (46 mm / 42,69 g), (Bronze-Original: 59,61g / 61 mm; - Zinn: 61 mm; Neuprägung 1914 Gold: 45,92 mm; 58,23 g),
Obv.: ELISABETHA CHRISTINA D G·R·IMP·H·HBREG·NAT·D·BRUNS·LUN·CAROLI VI VIDUA· // M·DONNER / H·M·A ( kleiner Doppeladler ) 1914 , ihr Brustbild mit Witwenschleier rechts, Signatur M. DONNER am Armabschnitt.
Rev.: AD NUTUM DEI / M D , aufbäumendes Welfenroß wird von einer Hand aus Wolken am Zügel gehalten, Signatur auf Bodenlinie links.
cf. Brockmann I, 436a (bronze) -b (Gold) ; cf. Welzl 7740 ; Slg. Mont. - ; cf. Slg. Horsky 2641 ; cf. Julius 1149 .
Matthäus Donner (1704–1756) was an Austrian sculptor known for his relief carvings and medals.
Born in Esslingen im Marchfeld [now in Vienna], bapt 30 aug 1704; died vienna, 26 aug 1756). Sculptor and medallist, brother of Georg Raphael Donner. He trained with Bengt Richter and studied sculpture at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna. In 1731 he designed the reverse of the academy’s medal, showing Minerva with putti ; the same design also won second prize for sculpture. In 1732 he won first prize for sculpture with a terracotta group of Samson overcoming the lion (Vienna, Hauptmünzamt), which was strongly influenced by academic models. In the 1730s and early 1740s he was principally noted as a medallist, being appointed court medallist in 1743 and director of the Vienna academy of engraving in 1745. The medals struck on the occasion of the marriage of queen Maria Theresa (1736) and of her coronation in Hungary (1741) and Bohemia (1743) show Donner’s superb technique and subtle characterization. In 1749 he became chief engraver at the Münzamt, producing, among other works, a commemorative medal of the empress Elisabeth Christine.