Ter ere van Willem III, op de vrede van Rijswijk 1697

This medal commemorating the Peace of Rijswijk was made in the late 17th century by John Croker. It is crafted in silver, a material valued for its preciousness, but also its capacity to capture fine detail. Look closely, and you'll notice the careful rendering of King William III's portrait, with his elaborate wig. The reverse shows a figure of Peace, seated with a spear and shield. These images were achieved through a process of die-striking, a technique that requires considerable force to impress the design onto the metal. Medals like these were often produced in multiples, acting as propaganda but also as a display of wealth and power. The silver itself would have been sourced through extensive mining operations, involving a global network of labor. So, while this object may seem small and refined, it speaks to broader systems of production and consumption in the early modern period.