Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux

Who was Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux?

Nicolas-Marie Gatteaux was a French medal engraver, also notable as the father of the sculptor and medallist Jacques-Édouard Gatteaux. In 1781 he was appointed graveur des médailles du Roi.

A student of Delorme and Gros, he designed a large number of medals, largely referring to public events, such as the death of Louis XV, the coronation of Louis XVI, the birth of the Dauphin, the invention of the hot air balloon by the Montgolfier brothers, the voyage of Lapeyrouse, the Federation of the Départements of France, the Abolition of Privileges, and Moreau's crossing of the Rhine in year VIII. Other medals designed by him shown notable figures such as Joseph Haydn, le comte de Maurepas, d'Alambert and the Three Consuls. He also designed assignats, lottery tickets and stamps.

Gatteaux is also credited as the inventor of the pointing machine, a tool used for copying sculpture.