Filips II, koning van Spanje, rekenpenning van de raad van Financiën 1562 - 1563

Curator: Here we have an exquisite bronze accounting token depicting Philip II, King of Spain, crafted between 1562 and 1563. Editor: It's heavy with history, literally! I'm immediately struck by the solemnity radiating from this small disc—like a pocket-sized monument to power. Curator: Absolutely. This wasn't just pocket change; it was a "rekenpenning," a counting penny used by the Council of Finance. It merges the mundane and the monumental, doesn't it? The obverse side portrays Philip II in profile. Look closely, and you’ll note the incised text circling his image, celebrating him in Latin. Editor: The very fact it’s a token from the financial council blows my mind. Labor and craft becoming propaganda... This little bronze speaks volumes about the control of narrative. Did it actually circulate as currency? Curator: No, it was more of an administrative tool. Now, turn your attention to the reverse side. It depicts the Adoration of the Magi. Again, a potent statement of divine right and perhaps an attempt to sanctify the King's policies through religious symbolism. Editor: So, it’s labor as tool, then labor in religious adoration of the money-men's figurehead. What's interesting to me is that these pieces weren’t considered "high art," yet the sculpting and production... Curator: The skill involved is undeniable. It forces us to reconsider boundaries, doesn’t it? Anonymous though the maker might be. They captured the Renaissance's ideological heart with such striking intimacy, despite the tiny scale. The very materiality – bronze, earthy, and enduring – whispers of wealth and authority. Editor: You're right; even something used for basic calculations has become this powerful art object. It shows the importance of digging into history and production itself to understand something fully. Thank you, bronze history penny. Curator: Indeed. Who knew such a small object could unlock so much?