Handboogschutterij "Honos alit arcum" te Tilburg, penning geschonken aan de beschermheer Willem II, koning der Nederlanden 1844

This medal, now in the Rijksmuseum, was made by Laurent Joseph Hart in the mid-19th century, and presented to King Willem II. It's crafted from a precious material: gold. The medal's small scale belies the labor involved in its creation. The process of die-striking would have required skilled artisans and specialized equipment. The designs are first incised into steel dies, then the precious metal is impressed using tremendous force. The resulting impression captures incredibly fine details, from the figures of the King and the archer, to the lettering around the perimeter. The weight and luster of the gold underscore the honor bestowed upon the King. While medals like this one might seem purely decorative, they were in fact deeply embedded in social networks, marking allegiances and celebrating power through the skilled manipulation of materials. This challenges the distinction between art and craft, and highlights the artistic choices involved in even seemingly functional objects.