Eugenius, hertog van Savoye benoemd tot landvoogd van het hertogdom Milaan 1706

Editor: This striking Baroque relief, created by Philipp Heinrich Müller in 1706, is titled "Eugenius, hertog van Savoye benoemd tot landvoogd van het hertogdom Milaan". It depicts a rather important Duke! It’s crafted from metal and, at first glance, feels almost like a powerful proclamation frozen in time. What stories do you think this piece is trying to tell us? Curator: Oh, this medal! It’s a little portal back to a very specific moment in European history. To me, it whispers of ambition and shifting alliances. Look at how meticulously Müller renders Prince Eugene, the very picture of a Baroque military hero on one side. Now, flip the coin. Editor: Yes, on the flip side there is a scene unfolding, not as clearly as the profile, and including text. Curator: Exactly. What do you make of it? Does it read as straightforward propaganda, a genuine tribute, or something more layered? For me, I think it captures the complex relationship between power, artistic representation, and historical narrative, all on this tiny disc. The allegorical figures celebrate his appointment, a symbol of liberation, while also highlighting Savoy's ambition in Italian affairs. Editor: So it's not just a pretty portrait, but a whole political statement! I didn’t catch that right away. Curator: Precisely. Each symbol, each carefully etched detail serves a purpose, aimed to convey the Prince’s glory and authority but, as with any 'truth', its creator's truth, no? I imagine touching the medal when it was new... you were literally holding power in your hand. I wonder, what did this all really *mean* to Müller? A job? Ideological expression? Perhaps it’s the very riddle of that question that I find so alluring. Editor: That's fascinating! Thinking of it as something someone might have held and pondered really brings it to life. It's more than just a historical record, it’s a captured moment of ambition and artistry. Curator: Absolutely, and these small artifacts often echo louder than cannons, don't they?