Karel I, koning van Spanje 1517

This coin portraying Karel I, King of Spain, was crafted by Giovanni Maria Pomedelli. Its circular form, with its precise diameter, immediately draws attention to the constraints of its medium and materiality. On one face, the incised profile of Karel I presents a study in controlled lines and planes; the rigid contours of his attire set against the deliberate inscription. Turn the coin, and this visual order abruptly contrasts with an angel which demonstrates a more animated posture with wings, and a flag surrounded by vegetation. The structure of the coin reflects a duality: the controlled representation of power facing a dynamic expression of divine or allegorical presence. This contrast isn't just aesthetic, but also engages with complex notions of representation, authority, and the symbolic languages of its time. The coin itself, in its compact form, raises the question of how art challenges fixed meanings.