Onbetrouwbaarheid van de Spanjaarden tijdens de vredesonderhandelingen te Middelburg 1596

This medal, made anonymously and undated, is a potent example of propaganda cast in metal. The material itself – likely bronze or copper – speaks to the medal's purpose. It wasn’t intended as high art, but rather as a durable, reproducible object, meant to circulate widely. The imagery is sharply rendered; on one side, a lion amidst a burning landscape, symbolizing the ravaged Dutch territories. On the other, a watchtower, a symbol of vigilance. The medal was struck to commemorate failed peace negotiations. The very act of minting such an object suggests a complex interplay of labor, politics, and consumption. It's a reminder that even seemingly simple objects can be powerful tools of communication, embodying social and political tensions within their very material. Examining how it was made, and for what purpose, allows us to look beyond the object's surface and consider its deeper cultural meaning.