Intrede van Filips V te Napels 1702

Ferdinand de Saint Urbain created this bronze medal to commemorate "Intrede van Filips V te Napels.” Observe the medal's circular form, a shape that inherently suggests unity and completion, yet it is divided into two distinct fields. On one side, the profile of Philip V is rendered with meticulous detail, the texture of his hair and the contours of his face sharply defined. This contrasts with the reverse side, which depicts Neptune emerging from the sea. The choice of bronze as a medium is crucial; its earthy tone and metallic quality lend the medal a sense of historical weight and permanence. The medal is not merely a commemorative object but also a symbolic representation of power and authority. Neptune, as a classical figure, invokes a sense of timeless dominion and control over the seas. The division of the medal into two distinct yet interconnected sides suggests a dual assertion of power, both terrestrial and maritime.