Vrede van Nijmegen 1679

Curator: This is an engraving made of metal called "Vrede van Nijmegen," dating back to 1679, attributed to Jacob van Dishoecke. My immediate impression is one of solemn celebration. The monochrome palette is fitting for such a formal historical subject. Editor: The iconography is fascinating! On one side, we see a city and figures in the foreground. A symbolic transfer of power, perhaps? Curator: Precisely. That city represents Nijmegen, and the figures depict diplomats sealing the treaty. On the other side, a crowned figure dominates the composition, radiant in divine light, above the emblems of royal houses of Europe, specifically France, England, Sweden, the Dutch Republic, Spain, and The Holy Roman Empire. Editor: And this is, no doubt, Louis XIV? The style is Baroque with its classical forms, but how is he symbolically presented? I mean, how does this imagery speak to Louis’ ego and historical vision of himself? Curator: Indeed, he is depicted with heavenly and military virtues above the emblems of several European powers; this image solidifies and even exaggerates Louis XIV’s place as the sole pacifier. "Pacatus Solis Virtutibus Orbis", “Through the Peace of the Sun, Virtue has civilized the World” written on the piece even gives this away! Editor: It’s quite bombastic! The scale gives a real sense of history condensed into an object meant to circulate. The figures of Nijmegen feel grounded, of this world, but turn the medal over, and you get almost something beyond a historical object, and almost into religious art. Curator: Yes, Dishoecke crafts Louis' image very deliberately; one might argue he's appropriating divine iconography to glorify Louis's reign. The composition reinforces his power. But the imagery here suggests enduring political consequences—ones reverberating far beyond Nijmegen's borders. The engraving thus acts as propaganda, shaping collective memory. Editor: An effective little piece of cultural messaging, however. It will surely provoke lively interpretations from whoever sees it! It would definitely make me do my homework on European treaties if I found this in my collection. Curator: Absolutely! It's a fascinating distillation of historical power and the visual languages used to create such authority figures.