CUBAN REVOLUTION: A FIDEL CASTRO MEDALLION., FELIX DE WELDON. 1907-2003.

A medallion of Fidel Castro commemorating the Liberation of Cuba. New York: 1959.

FELIX DE WELDON. 1907-2003. A medallion of Fidel Castro commemorating the Liberation of Cuba. New York: 1959. A bronze medallion, the obverse displaying a profile of Fidel Castro in his characteristic military hat, with text on rim reading "Libertad Cubana / Dr. Fidel Castro... "Lider maximo movimiento 26 de Julio," , reverse displaying the yacht "Gramma" at sea below a coat of arms with text on rim, "El Gramma...Diciembre 2 1956 Enero 1 1959." Original cardboard box with internal cover label of the Medallic Art Co. New York. Diameter 1.5 inches (38mm). Boxed.
Provenance: Estate of Felix De Weldon: The War Museum.

This medallion is one of a very small number cast by the famous sculptor, Felix De Weldon, and a number of which were given to Fidel by de Weldon on the occasion of Castro's visit to Washington in late 1959, on a charm offensive with the USA. He met Vice President Nixon, but unfortunately these overtures towards the USA were soon overturned by the close cooperation of Cuba with Russia, his nationalization of all US businesses in Cuba in 1960, and the subsequent Bay of Pigs incident in April 1961. It seems that De Weldon was caught up with his rapture of the new Cuban regime and decided to issue this medallion. De Weldon retained two of the medallions for his own use, this being one of them. The medallion commemorates the 1956 voyage of the Gramma from Mexico to Cuba, carrying the nucleus of the guerrilla force that would eventually force out President Fulgencio Batista in 1959.