Munten 1736 - 1775

This print, made by Jan Caspar Philips in the eighteenth century, shows a variety of coins. The Rijksmuseum collection is full of such images, which can tell us a great deal about Dutch culture at the time. These images are not simply records; they tell us about how Dutch society understood its place in a wider world. By depicting coins, Philips highlights their symbolic value beyond their monetary worth. Each coin carries emblems of power, trade, and cultural identity. Made during the Dutch Golden Age, this print reflects a society deeply engaged in commerce and empire. The practice of collecting and cataloging, which was supported by institutions such as the Rijksmuseum, was part of a broader effort to organize knowledge and assert cultural authority. For a deeper understanding, explore archives of the Dutch East India Company, period newspapers, and scholarly analyses of Dutch colonial history to see how art making was part of the making of history.