Erkenning van de onafhankelijkheid van de Verenigde Staten van Amerika door de Staten-Generaal der Verenigde Nederlanden Possibly 1782

This silver medal commemorating the recognition of the United States of America by the Dutch Republic was made by Johan George Holtzhey in the late 18th century. The medal presents two allegorical female figures, Libera, symbolizing liberty, and Soror, symbolizing sisterhood, clasping hands before an altar, celebrating the bond between the two republics. This imagery draws from classical antiquity, a visual language used during the Enlightenment to evoke ideas of democracy. However, the alliance celebrated on this medal was also shaped by complex socio-economic factors. The Dutch Republic, seeking to maintain its trade interests and challenge British maritime dominance, was one of the first nations to formally recognize the United States in 1782, which in turn helped legitimize the fledgling American republic on the world stage. Although the medal idealizes liberty and sisterhood, it's worth considering the limited scope of these ideals at the time. The concept of liberty in both America and the Dutch Republic existed alongside the oppression of enslaved peoples and the exclusion of women from political life. This medal then serves as a reminder of how the pursuit of freedom and equality is an ongoing, and often contradictory, process.