Kroning van Karel V tot keizer 1530

Editor: We’re looking at a small, silver medal from 1530 depicting "The Coronation of Charles V as Emperor." It’s a coin, really, and so my first impression is of its age, of how it carries so much history within its worn surface. The relief is quite impressive for something so small. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: It's funny, isn't it, how something so utilitarian can also be so powerfully symbolic? To me, this isn't just a coin, it’s a tiny piece of propaganda. It shouts, "Remember this momentous occasion! Charles is Emperor!". Think of who would have been seeing this? Editor: People with enough money to use it! So, a select few then? Curator: Exactly! And the very act of holding it would reinforce that image, that power. Consider the choice of silver – not as overtly flashy as gold, but conveying a certain understated authority. The Romans did that sometimes as well. There is so much classical allusion here with the pillars and wreaths. Is it not odd, the image is both practical and powerful at once? Editor: It really is a testament to how art can be embedded in the everyday. The artist, though anonymous, definitely understood the power of visual messaging! The Roman imagery makes so much sense now. I was just focusing on its physical presence as an object! Curator: It is a good reminder for me too; my instinct is to always think conceptually, so seeing its pure, physical presence is also helpful to recall. Thank you!