Maarten Luther en Johannes Hus c. 1717

Curator: This is a fascinating piece held here at the Rijksmuseum, dating from around 1717. It's a metal sculpture portraying Maarten Luther and Johannes Hus. Editor: It has a somber feel, doesn't it? Almost like two sides of the same weighty coin. I’m drawn to the way the figures are pressed onto this small metallic canvas. Curator: Indeed. The materiality speaks volumes, doesn’t it? Metal—a symbol of durability, of enduring power. To me, the craftsmanship raises a point about the social conditions required to produce and replicate such artifacts during this time. What was the economic landscape like that would encourage this type of production? Editor: It highlights how deeply intertwined religious reform was with early modern European identity. Hus, burned at the stake a century before Luther, becomes a precursor. This commemorative object invites us to consider notions of heresy, persecution, and the legacies of resistance across generations. Curator: Precisely. The duplication would be part of that political agenda. Were these pieces individually cast, or were they struck from molds allowing for relative mass production? I wonder if we could trace the distribution networks to understand how the Reformation's ideals were being materially disseminated and consumed? Editor: Consider how each figure's depiction is also a political statement. Hus's rigid, almost stern profile contrasts with Luther’s rounder, perhaps even gentler appearance. This work visualizes a lineage, creating heroes for a cause through carefully chosen representation. It is hard not to see their struggle mirroring any number of contemporaneous and ongoing civil and political conflicts. Curator: Fascinating how these material objects mediate and promote narratives of power and dissent! And beyond symbolism, the choice of metal begs questions: who had access to such material? Were these pieces intended for the masses or a more elite circle championing reform? Editor: Seeing these reformers side by side reminds me that their actions have echoed across history, still inspiring and challenging social and political systems worldwide. Curator: Absolutely. Examining the materiality combined with this political history opens so many doors. Editor: Yes. It leaves us pondering both their time and our own.