Huwelijk van Arnold van Citters Wzn., regeringslid van Middelburg en Sara Jacoba Ockerse 1737

This silver medal, crafted by Martin Holtzhey, commemorates the marriage of Arnold van Citters and Sara Jacoba Ockerse. The medal presents two distinct sides, each dense with imagery and text, all circumscribed within a strict circular boundary. One side teems with figures in classical garb set against a clouded sky. The figures are oriented towards a central radiant light, creating a powerful visual axis. The composition guides the eye upward, suggesting a divine blessing upon the marital union. The reverse is dominated by inscriptions, neatly arranged in horizontal registers, framed above and below with heraldic devices and flags. The overall texture is smooth, yet intricate details give depth to the figures and emblems. The medal functions not just as a commemorative object but as a semiotic system, embedding the couple within a network of civic virtues, familial expectations, and perhaps even divine will. The piece engages with ideas about social status, conjugal duty, and the symbolic language of power, offering a glimpse into the cultural codes and values of the time.