Verheffing van Willem IV, prins van Oranje-Nassau tot stadhouder 1747

This is a commemorative medal for the elevation of William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau, to Stadtholder. Although the artist is unknown, the date, like the medal, is immaterial. The dimensions are meticulously registered as length 11.4 cm, length 6.6 cm, and diameter 4.4 cm. The medal consists of a ribbon from which is suspended a circular medallion. It is a study in contrasting textures: the coarse fabric of the ribbon set against the polished metal. The medal's surface is teeming with symbolic iconography. The obverse side features a crowned coat of arms encircled by the inscription proclaiming William IV's elevation. The reverse side shows a smooth, featureless field that begs interpretation. It invites an engagement with semiotics. Such pieces function as cultural artifacts. They do not possess a singular meaning but offer many interpretations rooted in historical context. Its worth evolves, constantly subject to re-evaluation as generations engage with and reinterpret its formal components.