Geboorte van een erfprins, de latere Willem V 1748 1748

Curator: This medal commemorates the birth of a hereditary prince, the future William V, in 1748, crafted by Martin Holtzhey. Editor: Oh, it’s quite beautiful! Such a tiny world of baroque extravagance… It gives me a peculiar, almost dreamlike feeling. All that power compressed into something you could hold in your hand! Curator: Indeed. It exemplifies the era's symbolic language. The conjoined portraits on the obverse are William IV and Anna of Hanover, the parents of the newborn prince. Editor: And I see what looks like a celestial being, perhaps an angel or winged goddess, cradling a baby above, emanating a radiant light…It reminds me a bit of those baroque sculptures where you find ecstasy frozen in stone. Curator: Precisely. That scene depicts Providence bestowing the newborn William V upon the Dutch Republic, with rays of divine favor emanating from them. Consider the reverse—the message conveyed celebrates continuity and destiny. The visual symbolism of inheritance and divinely ordained rule is striking. Editor: Thinking about it now, this medal feels…optimistic. Or perhaps propagandistic? I’m curious, who would carry such a medal? Curator: Medals like these were often distributed amongst dignitaries and people connected with the court, functioning as keepsakes that circulated the political message of the new heir. It also signifies continuity in this instance because that period knew instability and the stadtholder position became hereditary at that exact moment. Editor: In terms of craftsmanship, the level of detail is truly impressive, particularly given the limitations of working on such a miniature scale. It has a tactile feel; imagine how worn it would have become carrying a potent little emblem of power around. I’m seeing it, now… It really comes alive. Curator: Exactly. The artist, Holtzhey, skillfully employed metal to articulate dynastic ambitions through symbolic allegory. Looking closely, the baroque style comes across through its dense compositions, detailed surfaces and symbolic program. It is definitely one of a kind! Editor: Medals, miniature yet somehow grandiose! It almost feels a bit quaint now, doesn’t it? Curator: It really does capture the spirit of that era’s faith in symbolic messaging, its aspirations and its way of celebrating momentous occasions, indeed.