Hahlo-115-116, Motherhood medal

American Numismatic Society, 0000.999.6696.

115. Reverse of the motherhood medal. ‘Genius announcing the arrival of the new-born.’

116. Motherhood medal, commemorating the birth of a child.

Brenner’s Motherhood medal is one of his most well-known and recognizable works, but it is not his most original. The obverse is almost identical to Oscar Roty’s Maternité tribute to his own wife, and Brenner derived his version of it in 1899 while working in Roty’s studio. It was nonetheless popular. In 1911 it was struck by Joseph K. Davison’s Sons and issued as the fourth medal in the series of medals published by the Circle of the Friends of the Medallion. Brenner also sold examples that were struck by the U.S. Mint, and the Medallic Art Company continued to issue it long after Brenner’s death in 1924.