Doos horend bij een zilveren penning 1846 - 1851

This is a box for a silver medal made by Bonfiglio Zaccagnini. Without knowing the year it was made, we can say that this box gives us a glimpse into the culture of medals. Medals were often commissioned by cities or states to commemorate important events or reward individuals for service. The box is an important part of that experience. Boxes protect medals but they also turn them into presentation objects. The person who was awarded the medal would understand the box as a sign of status. The silver medal itself would be an indicator of a person’s value to society. Zaccagnini's box transforms the medal from a simple piece of metal into something with great value, to be displayed and admired. The meaning of art is always contingent on social context. Historians draw on diverse resources like civic records, newspaper articles, and personal papers to understand the cultural work that even a small item like this medal box can perform.