Saint Ghislain door de Fransen veroverd 1699 - 1703

This silver medal, created by Jean Mauger, commemorates the capture of Saint Ghislain by the French. On one side, we see a profile of Louis XIV, encircled by text proclaiming him "the most Christian King." Turn the medal over, and you'll see a figure of Abundance with a spear and laurel crown. Her appearance evokes the classical goddess Minerva, but here she represents France. The laurel is a signifier of military triumph, its circular form suggesting the cyclical nature of power and victory. In antiquity, the laurel was sacred to Apollo, god of light and reason. This emblem of victory links the event to a larger pattern visible in the Mnemosyne Atlas, my attempt to chart the routes of such images throughout history. Like a dream, these symbols resurface in different forms, revealing how collective memory shapes our understanding of the present. The desire for glory, the fear of defeat: these emotions course through us, informing how we interpret this medal and the events it celebrates.