Hulde aan Willem III 1689

This gold medal, celebrating Willem III, was made by Jan Smeltzing sometime before 1693. Its small scale speaks volumes. The method of production is key here: like all coins and medals, it would have been struck from a die carved in steel. The image, therefore, is essentially the product of miniaturized sculpture, a tradition going back to the Renaissance, with the rise of virtuoso goldsmithing. The preciousness of the material indexes Willem’s status, of course. But it also shows the way in which political power was intertwined with skilled craftsmanship. In this period, mints were not only centers of monetary production, but also of technical innovation, as machines were developed to standardize coin production. The medal is a reminder that even seemingly humble objects can represent the intersection of labor, politics, and technological advancement. It challenges any rigid distinction between art, craft, and industry.