Overlijden van Willem IV 1751

This is a small lead medal commemorating the death of Willem IV. Its creation involves a process of casting, likely in a mold made from a carved model. The incised imagery—a coffin on one side, a draped catafalque on the other—has a folk-art quality. Lead is a humble material; its softness allows for great detail, but also means that it wears easily. This medal would have been relatively inexpensive to produce, making it accessible to a broad public. In this way, it’s a memento of national mourning, distributed widely. Look closely, and you can see how the artist has used simple lines to convey a sense of solemnity. The weight of the lead itself, though slight, adds to the feeling of gravity. The combination of material, making, and imagery speaks volumes about the social and political context of its creation. It invites us to consider how grief is processed and memorialized on a mass scale, challenging our traditional understanding of fine art.