The medal

The medals on display in Rooms 12 and 13 are works of art similar to coins in shape, generally round, and in their metal composition. They are made by casting or by striking. Conceptually speaking, they reflect the same trends as the plastic works of art of their period

In Room 12, visitors may watch an audio visual introduction to Tomás Francisco Prieto, Master Engraver of the Mints of Spain and the Indies in the eighteenth century.

Room 13 showcases the development of the medal in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, finishing off the display with works by winners of the Tomás Francisco Prieto award, granted to acclaimed artists by Real Casa de la Moneda.

Roberto Michel and his work

In Room 14, we find the original drawings and models of most of the works executed by Robert Michel, a sculptor of French origin who held the posts of Royal Sculptor General, an honour bestowed by Carlos III; and of Director General of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. The display includes models in wax, plaster and terracotta of the works produced by the artist in the course of his life, among them, the magnificent lions on the Fountain of Cybele.