Waarschuwing tegen de heerszucht van Francois-Hercule, hertog van Anjou 1582

Curator: Oh, look, it's this rather curious bronze relief from 1582—a little medieval gossip carved into metal. Apparently, someone wanted to send a warning about the Duke of Anjou's ambition. The Rijksmuseum picked this gem up. Editor: It's small, yet mighty. I mean, the detail they squeezed into such a small surface area... reminds me of a miniature battlefield. It’s kinda unsettling, you know? That medieval dread. Curator: Unsettling, yes, appropriate given its purpose. Notice how one side depicts Anjou driving a chariot pulled by a team of, uh, what are those, lions? Definitely projecting an image of strength and command. Editor: I see lions, but they seem... sluggish? Is that the idea? To undermine his projected power? And on the other side, that lone figure seemingly trying to... stop a cart? Seems like a serious David-versus-Goliath scenario. Curator: Precisely! That’s the “warning” part. The artisan—anonymous, alas—is saying Anjou's ambition (symbolized by that chariot and those...lions?) is a runaway train, and resistance, though perhaps feeble-seeming, is necessary. It's a clever piece of propaganda, shrunk to pocket size. And rendered in relief. It demands engagement; you’ve got to turn it over in your hand, peer closely, like uncovering a secret. Editor: A tactile threat! That's rather ingenious. Makes the message all the more personal, doesn’t it? I suppose folks carried these? Makes you wonder how effective these portable anxieties actually were. Did they actually change hearts and minds, or just end up gathering dust in someone's drawer? Curator: Well, considering we're still talking about it centuries later, I'd say the message, even muted, found a way to echo through time. What about the material here? You could almost see and feel the resistance it stood to represent by simply feeling the medium, perhaps bronze adds gravitas? Editor: Good point! Definitely lends the whole thing a sense of importance and enduring power that the fleeting fear might have needed in those uncertain times. Glad to have had the opportunity to turn this anxiety inducing penny over. Curator: Yes, indeed—a small piece with such resonance from the late 16th century, proving once again that art can speak volumes even when whispered.