Ferdinand Filips, hertog van Saksen-Coburg-Gotha 1878

Editor: So this is a medal, "Ferdinand Filips, hertog van Saksen-Coburg-Gotha," from 1878, by Auguste Brichaut. It looks like stoneware or ceramic maybe. It has a regal vibe due to the crown. What's your interpretation? Curator: The regal vibe is definitely intentional. Medals like these are often complex pieces of propaganda, even if subtle. Consider the social and political climate of 1878 – what anxieties might this medal be trying to quell, or what power is it trying to legitimize? It seems to assert not just lineage, but perhaps a divinely ordained right to rule, what with the heraldry being so prominently displayed. What message is that supposed to project and to whom? Editor: I suppose the message would be legitimacy. But isn't it just showing history? What else could it project? Curator: The ‘history’ being presented is carefully curated. Who is represented, who is omitted? Even the choice of artistic style speaks volumes. The classical figure on the reverse; what purpose does invoking the classical past serve? It ties the Duke to a tradition of power and influence stretching back centuries. It's trying to construct a very specific image, but it's worth questioning whose interests that serves, and who might be marginalized by this image of continuous, unwavering power. How does gender play into it, or race for that matter? Editor: I didn't consider it that deeply before. The medal seemed… old and important. Curator: It is old, and it was created to project importance, yes, but critically examining the narratives art like this constructs is essential. Even something as seemingly straightforward as a commemorative medal participates in complex power dynamics. Editor: That’s really changed how I see it. It's not just a portrait; it's a statement. Curator: Exactly. It's an argument, a declaration – frozen in time, but still very much part of an ongoing conversation. Always ask who gets to speak and whose voice is heard.