Huwelijk van Koning Willem III en Emma van Waldeck Pyrmont 1879 1879

Edouard Louis Geerts created this bronze commemorative medal in 1879. It celebrates the wedding of King Willem III and Emma van Waldeck Pyrmont. Royal marriages were, and still are, public events. A medal such as this would have served to record and celebrate the continuation of the Dutch Royal line. The portraits of the King and his new Queen are depicted in profile and are encircled by text, which reinforces their status as figureheads of the Dutch state. On the reverse, two coats of arms sit beneath a crown, symbolizing the union of two houses and the continuation of dynastic power. At the time this medal was produced, printed media was becoming more widespread, and so visual imagery was ever more important in constructing a sense of national identity. To understand this medal more fully, we can look at contemporary newspapers and other archive material. These sources can tell us how the wedding was reported, and how the monarchy sought to project an image of power and stability.