Aanvang van het jaar 1747, op het verbreken van het Barriere-verdrag door de Fransen en op de hoop op vrede 1746

This silver medal was designed by Martin Holtzhey to commemorate the beginning of 1747, focusing on the breach of the Barrier Treaty by the French and the hope for peace. The medal’s design is structured around allegorical representations, which, through their arrangement, encourage us to decode the political and emotional climate of the time. On one side, a female figure stands tall, perhaps symbolizing the Dutch Republic, while the reverse depicts another figure kneeling, possibly in supplication or gratitude. Note the arrangement of text, which frames the images and adds layers of meaning. Holtzhey uses the limited space to negotiate complex themes of conflict, faith, and hope. The structure of the medal—its circular form—becomes a symbolic arena for these ideas. The use of symbols and their spatial arrangement invites a semiotic reading, where each element functions as a signifier within a broader cultural discourse. It suggests that the formal elements of the medal are consciously employed to make a statement. The medal functions beyond mere commemoration; it engages in a dialogue about the period’s values and anxieties, and the ongoing negotiation of meaning in times of political uncertainty.