Keeshondje, draagteken ter ere van Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft, burgemeester van Amsterdam 1789

This small silver medal was made in the Netherlands to honour Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft, mayor of Amsterdam. On one side, we see a portrait of Hooft himself, while the other side shows a Keeshond dog pierced by a hat. The Keeshond was the symbol of the Patriots, a political faction active in the Dutch Republic during the late 18th century. This group sought to reduce the power held by the Stadtholder, a kind of hereditary head of state. The Patriots were eventually suppressed, and many fled into exile. This medal probably commemorates Hooft's role in the Patriot movement. The piercing of the dog with a hat, symbolising the ruling House of Orange, is a clear visual critique of the political status quo. As historians, we can learn more about this object by researching the Hooft family, the history of Amsterdam, and the Patriot movement, drawing on archival sources such as pamphlets, letters, and financial records. The meaning of art is always contingent on its historical and institutional context.