Overlijden van Stadhouder Prins Willem IV 1751 1751

This small medal commemorating the death of Stadhouder Prince William IV was made in 1751 by Johan George Holtzhey. Crafted from silver, the piece has been struck with dies, a skilled process used to create multiples that circulated widely. Note how the material itself, precious yet relatively inexpensive, speaks to the social and political function of the medal. It was a token of respect, a small investment affordable to many, yet also an object produced through a division of labor, with the artist designing the dies and the mint workers producing the coins. Consider the implications of this process: while Holtzhey may have conceived the image, the medal's existence depended on the labor of others, and the wider economic systems that enabled its production and distribution. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward objects are embedded in complex networks of making, meaning, and exchange. So, by paying attention to materials, making, and context, we can understand the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.