Medals in the 20th Century
World War I and its bloody battles in the trenches of northern France dramatically
altered the perception of war. The enormous number of casualties and the war
machinery provided artists with a repertoire of new images. German expressionist
artists created a different style of medals in open rejection of the elegant style
common in the early 20th century.
This medal by S. Kinsburger illustrates a
traditional view of the Battle of the Marne in 1914. Soldiers, armed with rifles and
swords, are led into battle by a personification of Victory. The decorative scene is
far removed from the horrors of war and focuses on the end result: success.
The German Ludwig Gries gives a complex and
ultimately biased interpretation if the United States' involvement in World War I.
The image on this medal of 1917 shows the skyline of Manhattan behind a large
swimming monster carrying ammunition and eating coins. The United States, neutral
until 1917, is symbolically accused of taking sides by financing the war effort of
the allies.