Maria van Hongarije doet te Brussel afstand van de voogdij over de Nederlanden, ten gunst van Filips, erfprins van Spanje 1555

This bronze medal commemorates Maria of Hungary's abdication of guardianship over the Netherlands in Brussels, in favor of Philip, hereditary prince of Spain. The imagery on this medal encapsulates the convoluted politics of inheritance and power during the Habsburg reign. Mary of Hungary, depicted as an almost ethereal figure on one side, embodies the weight of governance, while Philip, heir to the Spanish throne, is presented as the hopeful future. The medal acts as a symbolic representation of the transfer of power, but it also reflects the gendered dynamics of leadership in the 16th century. As a woman in a position of power, Mary navigated a world dominated by men, her regency marked by both strength and the constraints of her gender. Did she feel relief or dispossession when she passed on the baton to Phillip? The medal does not tell us. It encourages us to imagine her emotions as she hands over responsibility. Through its delicate design and historical weight, the medal invites us to reflect on the complexities of power, gender, and legacy.