Kroning van Frans I tot Duits keizer 1745

This silver medal commemorating the coronation of Francis I as Holy Roman Emperor was designed by Martin Holtzhey, an engraver active in the Dutch Republic during the 18th century. Enlightenment ideals were spreading, and European society was transforming. Yet, the medal’s imagery evokes a sense of continuity with the past. On one side, we see a profile of Francis, adorned with symbols of power. On the other side, the coronation is presented as a divine act. The kneeling figure of Francis being crowned emphasizes the importance of lineage and tradition in legitimizing power. By choosing to depict this moment, Holtzhey captures not just an event, but a narrative about authority, identity, and the perceived link between the earthly and the divine. The medal, in its own way, asks us to consider how power is constructed, maintained, and represented.