Sluiting van het Twaalfjarig Bestand tussen de Republiek en Spanje, en hernieuwing van het drievoudige verbond tussen Engeland, Frankrijk en de Republiek 1609

This silver medal commemorates the end of the Twelve Years’ Truce between the Dutch Republic and Spain, and the renewal of the triple alliance between England, France, and the Republic. The medal presents us with a circular form divided into two distinct fields. One side showcases heraldic symbols, meticulously arranged, while the other is densely inscribed with text. The contrast between the figural and the textual invites a semiotic reading, where the images function as signs of power and alliance, and the text serves as an explicit declaration of the historical moment. Consider the weight of the medal, 6.17 grams, a tangible measure of its symbolic value. Its circular form, unbroken and continuous, might suggest the cyclical nature of political alliances and treaties. How does this object, small in scale yet weighty in meaning, challenge our understanding of historical representation?