Vrede van Fontainebleau tussen Denemarken en Zweden, ter ere van Karel XI 1679

This silver medal, crafted by Anton Meybusch, commemorates the Peace of Fontainebleau between Denmark and Sweden. The circular form and use of silver lend a sense of classical authority. On one side, we see a high-relief portrait of Charles XI, encircled by text. The reverse depicts a symbolic landscape which alludes to power and divine affirmation through the use of structuring elements such as light, objects and inscriptions. Note the hand reaching down, suggesting divine favor, and the carefully arranged symbols of power and peace. The year is prominently displayed. The medal’s meaning is constructed through symbols and their arrangements, using a formal vocabulary of classical representation, where composition and form work together to convey a narrative of power, peace, and divine approval. This piece is not simply an aesthetic object but a structured representation of political and ideological claims.