Afzwering door de Staten-Generaal van Filips II, koning van Spanje als landsheer der Nederlanden 1583

This small medal, crafted by Gerard van Bylaer around 1585, commemorates a pivotal moment in Dutch history: the 1581 Act of Abjuration, in which the States-General of the Netherlands formally renounced Philip II of Spain as their sovereign. This act was not merely a political decision, but a declaration of identity and sovereignty. The imagery on the medal encapsulates the spirit of the Dutch revolt. On one side, the Dutch Lion, a symbol of national pride and resistance, confronts the Spanish Lion. This is more than just a battle of beasts; it embodies the struggle for self-determination against imperial power. The other side shows the Dutch Maiden, a symbol of the Netherlands, receiving a new charter. The Act of Abjuration and medals like this one spoke to the core of a people yearning for autonomy and recognition. It underscores the power of art to crystallize complex political and cultural shifts into tangible, emotionally resonant forms.