Filips de Goede, hertog van Bourgondie, rekenpenning van het hertogdom Brabant 1430 - 1467

Editor: So, here we have a metal "rekenpenning," or counting token, portraying Filips de Goede – Philip the Good – Duke of Burgundy. It’s dated somewhere between 1430 and 1467, anonymous, which makes me wonder what role these served. I find it fascinating, this little portal into the distant past! But, tell me, what do you see when you look at this humble artifact? Curator: Humble is one word, my friend! For me, this coin whispers tales of power, of mercantile ambition, and the sheer visual poetry of a world transforming itself. Consider: Philip the Good, one of the wealthiest, most powerful rulers of his time, reduced to this tiny metal circle. The portrait itself, it’s not just an image; it’s propaganda, meticulously crafted to project authority and stability. See the texture, the heft of the metal; imagine the hands that traded this object. Editor: It definitely brings history to life. Are the images and symbols part of a common vocabulary that the people of the time could understand? Curator: Exactly! These weren't just pretty pictures; they were loaded with meaning. Each emblem, each line, reinforces a message. This coin served as currency but also as a constant reminder of the Duke's power, subtly shaping the perceptions of everyone who handled it. You know, it’s easy to forget that art existed outside the gilded frames of palaces. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider how intertwined art, power, and economics were, even back then. It sort of makes you think differently about what gets produced and why. Curator: Precisely! And isn’t that the most glorious function of art? To disrupt, to question, to inspire a fresh look at everything we think we know? It definitely makes me appreciate that which seems everyday so much more. Editor: Absolutely! I am very thankful for that insight!