Verheffing van Willem IV, prins van Oranje-Nassau, tot admiraal en kapitein-generaal der Verenigde Nederlanden 1747

Editor: Here we have a bronze medal commemorating the "Verheffing van Willem IV," made in 1747 by an anonymous artist. One side features a profile portrait, the other a heraldic lion. What strikes me is the tangible weight these medals carried, not just as symbolic objects, but as actual pieces of worked metal circulating in society. What else do you see? Curator: What I find most compelling is considering the economic networks and material processes embedded within such objects. The mining of the ore, the casting in bronze, the distribution of these medals...it speaks volumes about the colonial infrastructure and trade routes that fueled Dutch power. Who would have been commissioning such pieces, and for what purpose? Editor: Perhaps to reinforce Willem IV's image? Distribute these among supporters? Curator: Precisely! Consider the labor involved. Artisans, likely working under specific workshop conditions, creating multiples of this object. We have to ask ourselves: what was their compensation? What were their working conditions? It helps us move beyond just celebrating Willem IV. Editor: So it’s not only about the portrait, but the hands that made it, the resources that comprise it, and the networks involved? Curator: Exactly. By examining the material history, we get a glimpse into a wider network of social and economic relations that defined the Dutch Golden Age and beyond. This seemingly simple object unlocks questions of labor, class, and imperial power. Editor: It gives it so much more meaning to consider it as a piece of history that extends beyond its surface. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. I hope it enriches your viewing of artworks going forward!