Verkiezing van Maurits, graaf van Nassau gekozen tot stadhouder van alle opstandige gewesten 1590

This undated medal commemorates the election of Maurits, Count of Nassau, as stadtholder. On one side, a column, topped with a hat, symbolizes liberty, encircled by clasped hands, representing unity. The column as a symbol dates back to antiquity, often signifying strength and stability. The motif of clasped hands carries a potent message, resonating through time. We find it echoed in Roman art, signifying alliances, and later in medieval imagery, representing oaths and agreements. Turn the medal, and a handshake appears again, this time, between two hands. This evokes the "dextrarum iunctio," a powerful symbol of concord, further emphasized by the bundle of arrows, an emblem of strength through unity. These symbols are not static; they evolve. The handshake, for instance, transcends mere agreement, becoming a profound gesture of reconciliation and partnership. Such imagery taps into our collective memory, stirring deep-seated emotions of trust, solidarity, and the yearning for harmony. The cyclical progression of symbols reminds us that history is not linear. These motifs resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, shaped by the ever-changing currents of human experience.