DESCRIPTION
A celebration of artistic genius, the coin’s reverse design re-creates elements of Panel 29 of L’Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg by artist Jean Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002), and features the Riopelle Foundation’s “Riopelle100” logo created for the centenary celebration of the artist’s birth. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign.

Though he is widely known for his abstract mosaics, Jean Paul Riopelle worked with a variety of mediums throughout his career. His L’Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg features spray-painted silhouettes – including the emblematic birds seen on this coin – that form symbolic representations of the life he shared with his former companion. This collector version of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Jean Paul Riopelle $2 coin is crafted in 1 oz. of 99.99% pure gold sourced exclusively from Quebec mines.

The ‘Riopelle100’ mark, created by Raphaël Melançon, appears on the coin courtesy of the Riopelle Foundation, in collaboration with which the coin was created.
Panel 29 of L’Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg, 1992, acrylic and spray paint on canvas. Triptych, 1.55 m in height x 40.39 m in length. © Estate of Jean Paul Riopelle / Copyright Visual Arts - CARCC (2023).