Verovering van Landau door Jozef I 1702

This silver medal, commemorating the Conquest of Landau by Joseph I, was made by Philipp Heinrich Müller, sometime between 1702 and 1712. The medal is struck, a process where metal is shaped by compressive force. A blank piece of silver would have been placed between two dies, and then hammered or pressed to create the image in relief. Consider the vast social apparatus that made this object possible. Silver mining, refining, toolmaking, die-cutting, not to mention the networks of patronage that commissioned the work. The act of striking a medal is in itself a potent symbol of authority, stamping an image onto a precious material to create an object of enduring value. It is no accident that throughout history, medals have been linked to power. So next time you encounter an artwork, remember to consider not just the image it presents, but also the complex web of materials, processes, and social relations that brought it into being. Only then can we truly appreciate the full scope of its meaning.