Eerste vrede van Parijs tussen Frankrijk en de geallieerden, ter ere van Frederik Willem III, koning van Pruisen 1814

This silver medal of modest size was created by Daniel Friedrich Loos to commemorate the First Peace of Paris. Although undated, the inscription “Paris D. 30 Mai 1814” places it in that year. Commissioned in honor of Frederick William III, King of Prussia, it offers a window into the intricate dance between art, politics, and national identity in 19th-century Europe. One side depicts a laurel-wreathed Frederick William III, with an inscription praising God for victory. Turn the medal over, and we see a triumphant eagle, a symbol of power and victory, perched above symbols of peace and prosperity. It visually encodes the aspirations and self-image of a nation recovering from the Napoleonic Wars. To fully appreciate this piece, we can look at the archives and diplomatic correspondence surrounding the Congress of Vienna, to understand better how Prussia sought to redefine itself on the European stage.