Overwinning van Johan Frederik van Saksen, Filips van Hessen en Maurits van Saksen op Hendrik de Jongere van Brunswijk-Wolfenbuttel en zijn zoon Karel bij Bockenem 1545

This medal commemorates the victory of Johan Frederik van Saksen, Filips van Hessen and Maurits van Saksen over Hendrik de Jongere van Brunswijk-Wolfenbuttel and his son Karel at Bockenem. The medal, created by an anonymous artist, presents us with an intricate tableau of figures and text across two circular faces. On one side, we see a complex arrangement of figures, their forms densely packed and rendered with an almost tactile quality. The composition is dominated by the interplay of raised surfaces and incised lines, which creates a dynamic, if somewhat obscured, visual field. The reverse is filled with regimented lines of text. The medal is not simply a historical record. It’s an object that plays with surface and depth, with the legibility of information versus the density of form. This tension is central to understanding its function, as it mediates between conveying a clear message of triumph and engaging with broader themes of power, memory, and representation. In its structure, the medal invites us to consider how historical events are not just recorded but also actively shaped through artistic interpretation and material form.