Overlijden van Lodewijk van Egmond 1654

Editor: This object, "Overlijden van Lodewijk van Egmond," or "Death of Lodewijk van Egmond," crafted in 1654 by Denis Waterloos, is metal and a work of sculpture. What strikes me immediately is the stark detail captured on such a small scale, especially the portrait. What do you make of it? Curator: Scale is everything here, isn't it? Consider this isn’t just decoration; it's memory made metal. It’s trying to hold a life—and a death—in something you can hold in your hand. I see the bravado in the portrait, almost daring you to forget him, while the reverse hints at the political drama, like whispers from a royal court. Have you thought about what it means to immortalize someone in this way, practically pocket-sized? Editor: It does feel intimate, like carrying a secret. I am interested in the symbolism on the reverse, with the crossed swords and crown. It appears both commemorative and possibly mournful. Curator: Mournful indeed, but with a stiff upper lip! The crossed swords, the crown... power cut short. It’s about legacy, right? And it asks: How do we choose to remember? It's curious Waterloos decided on this image with blades, the romantic image of a bygone era and the finality death holds. Editor: So, it's more than just a memento. It’s a carefully constructed narrative, almost like propaganda but for grief? Curator: Exactly! The choice of metal also speaks volumes about how history itself may be rewritten with time. Now I can appreciate why an art piece about grief has swords. Who knows? It gives food for thought, how something so small can be so complex.