Jozef II, Duits keizer, rekenpenning geslagen op last van kasselrij Vieux-Bourg van Gent 1780 - 1790

Curator: Up next we have a small treasure: a metal counting token rendered in relief, likely an engraving. It’s called "Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor", commissioned, around 1780-1790, by the Vieux-Bourg castellany of Ghent, and bearing the mark of Jacques Roettiers. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Bleak yet beautiful. The cold metal, combined with the sharp relief of the figures, give the piece a severe elegance. It has that classical, stoic feel, even a hint of the melancholic. It gives a simultaneous sense of power and isolation. Curator: Power absolutely—it commemorates Joseph II, after all. The profile on the front is undeniably imperial. He is even crowned with laurels like a Caesar. Note the fortress tower on the reverse side of the token. It is topped with a lion’s head which is probably symbolic of the district. But what of the melancholic feeling? Editor: It’s the lack of warmth, perhaps? Metal isn’t exactly known for its cuddliness. I think of a historical figure frozen in time, his reign and visage literally cast in cold, hard metal. But on a deeper level, perhaps this token symbolizes power and strength preserved in a time capsule for distant descendants who likely will never see it in person. This token marks a moment in time of a fading figure, and is a bleak representation of their everlasting legacy. Curator: And a counting token at that! To count and keep record of its achievements...fascinating indeed. Roettiers was a master engraver, capturing the emperor's likeness and imbuing the cityscape tower with that heavy feeling you describe. The detail is exquisite despite the size. Editor: Detail being key. Symbolism and propaganda were so crucial. Even in a counting token. They weren't just keeping track of numbers; they were cementing ideologies and visual power! Every detail serves a purpose, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely, and one of those details serves to speak to us here today. Each token held stories, power dynamics and hopes embedded within the artwork. So much history. Editor: Each piece, a miniature monument to power, trade, and even... well, cold remembrance. And now we get to see what all that amounts to.