The Annexation of Erfurth to Prussia, 1803 1803

Editor: Here we have "The Annexation of Erfurth to Prussia, 1803," a bronze medal by Daniel Friedrich Loos. The stark profile and the cold, hard material really evoke a sense of authority. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: I'm drawn to the medal's materiality as a direct product of political and economic power. Bronze itself wasn’t chosen at random; it signified status and permanence but consider who controlled the mines, the foundries, and the distribution networks. How does the act of casting this event—the annexation—into a material form solidify Prussia’s claim? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't thought about the bronze itself as part of the message. I suppose it was a deliberate choice to project strength. Do you think the scale matters too? It is rather small and discrete. Curator: Absolutely. Think about mass production; such a portable piece made of accessible material—even if originally produced for the elite—it eventually served as propaganda accessible to many. It facilitated the dissemination of the Prussian image, a tool for molding public opinion and securing its position on an increasingly modern world stage through economic networks of distribution. What social function did the medals serve during that period? Editor: I guess it's about making the annexation tangible, something people could hold and circulate, further reinforcing its reality and the king's power. Curator: Precisely! It links political event, ruler's image and base metal together. It’s all about understanding how power operates through material culture, labor, and social networks of exchange. Editor: It really changes how I see the object. Now I’m looking at it as evidence of so much more than just a historical event. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. Considering materiality always opens up a deeper understanding.