Count Feodor Petrovich Tolstoi (1783-1873) was born in St. Petersburg and from 1804 studied at the Academy of Arts with I.P. Prokofiev. In 1806 he started work at the Hermitage and at the Mint in 1810. As a sculptor, painter and engraver, Tolstoi became the leading medallist of his day. These plaques are taken from a large series of bronze medals commemorating the Russian war against Napoleon undertaken by Tolstoi from 1814 until 1836.