Verovering van Portugal en aanvaarding van Francois-Hercule, hertog van Anjou als landsheer 1581

Editor: So, this artwork is titled "Conquest of Portugal and acceptance of Francois-Hercule, Duke of Anjou as lord," made around 1581 by an anonymous artist. It’s an engraving on metal, and it’s held at the Rijksmuseum. My first thought is that it looks like a coin celebrating a complex political moment. It's hard to decipher all the symbols though; how do you interpret this work? Curator: The imagery employed speaks volumes, doesn’t it? These coins served as propaganda, crystallizing historical narratives in a way that circulated widely. Notice the shields emblazoned with heraldic devices. They evoke lineage, power, and the justifications, however specious, for conquest. Consider how symbols are deployed to legitimize Francois-Hercule's role. What cultural echoes do you sense in the chosen symbols? Editor: I guess the repetition of symbols gives a sense of order, even though the actual events were probably chaotic. Does the inscription itself – "Portugal conquered... Duke accepted..." – also function symbolically? Curator: Precisely! Language becomes another layer of symbolic meaning, transforming complex realities into easily digestible slogans. These are symbols of power inscribed for posterity. What does it tell us about how rulers wish to be perceived? Think about it not just as a coin, but as a carefully constructed image designed to shape perception. Editor: I hadn’t thought about how carefully planned even something this small would have been. It really puts the historical events into a new perspective. Curator: It demonstrates how symbols transcend mere representation; they become tools to shape collective memory.