Deinse en Dixmuiden door de Fransen ingenomen 1699 - 1703

Editor: So, this is "Deinse en Dixmuiden door de Fransen ingenomen", crafted between 1699 and 1703 by Jean Mauger. It's this intriguing Baroque medal – the details are impressive considering the size. I’m curious – what leaps out at you when you look at this? Curator: Ah, medals. Those shiny little discs history uses to wink at us. This one whispers tales of Louis XIV, the Sun King, doesn’t it? On one side, his noble profile; all flowing hair and kingly confidence. On the reverse, a subjugated figure, kneeling, head bowed – representing the surrendering cities. Notice how the artist used light and shadow to heighten the drama, it’s pure theatre, a carefully staged PR campaign pressed into metal. How do you think people at the time responded to these things? Did they swallow the story whole? Editor: I guess it depends who you were, right? If you were French, probably a celebration of victory; if you were from Deinse or Dixmuiden, maybe a different story. Were these kinds of propaganda tools common? Curator: Absolutely! Think of them as the seventeenth-century equivalent of Instagram stories – carefully curated glimpses into the world the powerful wanted you to see. Only slightly less ephemeral and definitely heavier! And remember, every element in the scene has meaning, it’s a visual poem loaded with symbolism. Did you happen to notice how even the posture of the kneeling figure seems... curated? Editor: Now that you mention it, yes. So, in a way, this isn't just art, but a snapshot of political spin from centuries ago? Curator: Precisely! Art, propaganda, and history all rolled into one shiny little package. It makes you think about how history is written – or should I say, struck – doesn’t it? I will carry a thought for the conquered and dominated forever now!