Montblanc, for over 25 years, has recognised and celebrated the invaluable contribution of modern day patrons of the arts with its prestigious Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, and coinciding with the Award, is the commission of a unique limited edition writing instrument, inspired by a historical patron of the arts to honour the contemporary ones.
The Montblanc Patron of Art Edition is a celebration of the great Roman Emperor Publius Aelius Hadrianus, who brought Rome a period of peace and prosperity and a lasting architectural legacy. He built Hadrian’s Villa at Tibur (Tivoli), which was also one of the greatest Roman gardens (100 ha) reflecting the places Hadrian saw during his travels. He also shaped the city of Roma and Athens with his massive building projects – Pantheon, Temple of Venus and Roma, Mausoleum of Hadrian (Castel Sant’Angelo). Hadrian is also known for building Hadrian’s Wall, which marked the northern limit of Britannia (Roman Britain).
Publius Aelius Hadrianus (76-138 AD) was the Roman emperor who ruled for over for more than 20 years over an empire spanning three continents, from the Scottish border to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic to the Euphrates. He focused on peace and prosperity, and Hadrian is known for investing in the arts and architecture throughout his empire. Thus the shape of the gold-coated cap top and cone of the Homage to Hadrian pen collection is inspired by the Roman buildings he commissioned.
Limited Edition 4810
The cap and barrel of the Hadrian Limited Edition fountain pen are made of Egyptian basalt, and the Montblanc emblem on the cap crown is in black and white precious resin and sits on the cap top like a crown. The fountain pen’s yellow gold-coated clip is designed in the shape of a sheaf of wheat, and the handcrafted 18K gold nib is embellished with an apropos engraving.
The pattern on the top ring and the cone ring is inspired by a decoration used in the Roman empire with a reference to the Roman god Janus. The gold-coated cap ring features two intricately crafted medallions: one represents the Greek hero Antinous and the other is an artistic representation of Medusa. The words engraved on the cap and cone ring are from Historia Augusta.
Limited Edition 888
This version, with just 888 pieces in the edition, features a sterling silver cap top that recalls the domed shape of one of Hadrian’s great buildings; the Montblanc emblem is in mother-of-pearl. The cap is further adorned with two red gold medallions inspired by Aureus, and the red marble barrel – highlighted by the pen’s red gold details – is reminiscent of a Roman building from that era. The red gold nib, partially rhodium-coated, is engraved with the Hadrianic phoenix with a halo and laurel leaf.
Limited Edition 76
The number of pieces in this edition is a reference to the year of Hadrian’s birth. The cap crown and the pen’s fittings are made of solid white gold, while the Montblanc emblem crowning the cap is mother-of-pearl. The barrel is made of matte Eqyptian basalt and features a hand-carved peacock, a symbol of immortality, coiled around it.
Limited Edition 5
With just five pieces in this exclusive edition, this pen is an homage to Hadrian as one of the “five good emperors,” a term generally referring to a specific group of Roman leaders who reigned between the first and second centuries. A rotating solid gold sphere embellished with a hand-engraved Montblanc emblem gorgeously completes the cap. The white gold barrel of the pen is embellished with a hand-carved peacock surrounded by handset dark blue sapphires. In a further nod to architecture, the cap is embellished with a handset mosaic of black and white glass precisely placed on a base of stucco.
Launch 2019
Limitation:
Fountain Pen 4810
Fountain Pen 888
Limited Edition 76
Limited Edition 5
