Vrede van Utrecht 1713

This is the ‘Vrede van Utrecht’ or ‘Peace of Utrecht’ medal created by Nicolas Chevalier, sometime in the 1700s. The commemorative object speaks to the complex tapestry of European power dynamics during that time. The Treaty of Utrecht, signed in 1713, redrew the map of Europe. It ended the War of the Spanish Succession and ushered in a new era of political alliances and imperial ambitions. Chevalier’s medal captures the grand narratives of peace and diplomacy, yet the images raise important questions about whose peace was being celebrated and at what cost. The figures on the medal are allegorical representations, but their idealized forms and gestures obscure the realities of war, colonialism, and social inequality. Consider how Chevalier's work invites us to reflect on the relationship between art, power, and historical memory. What stories do we choose to commemorate, and whose voices are left out of the official narratives?