Huwelijk van Frederik, prins der Nederlanden en Louise, prinses van Pruisen te Berlijn 1825

This un-dated medallion at the Rijksmuseum commemorates the marriage of Frederik, Prince of the Netherlands, and Louise, Princess of Prussia. The anonymous artist likely employed a technique called ‘Medallic Art’. This is similar to creating coins, involving the careful modeling of forms in wax or clay, which were then cast in metal. The choice of a dark metal gives the piece a somber, almost severe quality, fitting for a royal portrait. The raised profiles, precisely rendered, allow light to play across the surfaces, accentuating the details of their features and attire. What's interesting is the decision to create two separate medallions, almost like a ‘before and after’ snapshot of the royal union. Medals like these functioned as propaganda, cementing the status of those portrayed. But they also reflect skilled labor, from the initial design to the final casting and finishing. By considering the materials and making of this artwork, we can appreciate its place in both the history of craft and the theater of royal life.