Gerard d'Oyenbrugge, vijfentwintigste intendant van de vaart van Brussel Possibly 1625

This copper medal of Gerard d'Oyenbrugge was made by Balthasar Laureys. Although undated, its imagery gives us clues about the context of its making. The medal commemorates d’Oyenbrugge as the twenty-fifth intendant of the Brussels canal. In 1623, when the canal was expanded, d’Oyenbrugge played a key role in the institution responsible for the waterway's upkeep. The image shows ships on the canal itself. The medal speaks to the canal's economic and political importance. It depicts figures, who are presumably dignitaries, celebrating this achievement. The canal was vital for trade and transportation, connecting Brussels to the wider world. The institution in charge of its upkeep would have wielded significant power. Medals like these provide historians with valuable information about the individuals, institutions, and events that shaped early modern Europe. Further research into the archives of the Brussels canal administration, and the biographies of those involved, would shed even more light on this intriguing object.