Huwelijk van Willem Frederik, erfprins van Oranje-Nassau en Fredrika Louise Wilhelmina, prinses van Pruisen 1791

This silver medal commemorating the marriage of Willem Frederik and Fredrika Louise Wilhelmina was created by Johan George Holtzhey. It’s a piece that encapsulates the political and dynastic strategies of 18th-century Europe. On one side, we see the conjoined profiles of the couple, capturing their likenesses and social standing. Turn the medal over, and you will see a classical allegory with symbols of abundance and marital harmony. These images were carefully chosen to convey a message of prosperity and continuity. However, beyond the surface, the medal hints at the restricted roles women occupied. Fredrika Louise Wilhelmina's primary value, like that of many aristocratic women of her era, lay in her ability to secure alliances and produce heirs. The medal's visual language is that of power, but it also shows the gendered expectations of the time. It’s a reminder of how personal lives were entwined with broader political objectives, with individual identity often taking a backseat to the demands of state.