Vrede van Nijmegen, ter ere van Johan George II, keurvorst van Saksen 1679

This small silver medal commemorates the Peace of Nijmegen, an event in 1678. It honors Johan George II, Elector of Saxony. While the maker of this piece remains anonymous, its imagery and inscriptions offer insights into the cultural values of the time. On one side, we see a figure, presumably representing Saxony, ascending to "Virtue" and "Immortality". This imagery blends classical and Christian ideals, common in European art of this period. The other side bears a Latin inscription celebrating the desire for peace. It's interesting to consider who this peace truly benefited. While war often disproportionately harms marginalized communities, peace can also reinforce existing power structures. This medal, commissioned to honor a powerful elector, speaks to the selective ways history is often memorialized, and prompts us to reflect on whose perspectives are privileged in such commemorations.