Beleg van Groningen, ter ere van Carel Rabenhaupt 1672

Editor: This is a medal titled "Siege of Groningen in Honor of Carel Rabenhaupt" created in 1672. It's an engraving on metal. It has two sides with two scenes. One shows a leader in profile, while the other depicts what I believe to be a city in conflict. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Beyond the imagery of leadership and siege, I'm particularly drawn to the production of this object. Consider the labor involved in creating this medal. The act of engraving on metal requires a skilled artisan, highlighting the merging of artistic creation and craft production. Editor: Right, the level of detail is amazing, given it's such a small object made of metal. How would this have been circulated, and who was the intended audience? Curator: This medal functioned as a commodity, participating in a system of exchange. Medals like this would have been manufactured and distributed to commemorate Rabenhaupt and bolster the morale of those involved and impacted by the siege. We need to consider who had access to it. The act of commemorating such events through medals shaped collective memory. Editor: So, it's not just art, but also a manufactured item tied to political and social functions. I suppose the choice of metal as the medium is part of the meaning: valuable and lasting. Curator: Exactly. Furthermore, we must examine the consumption of these medals. Owning and displaying such a piece became a way to express support, and connect individuals to wider networks of power. What do you think it suggests about Dutch society at that time? Editor: I had not thought of this as something more than a piece of propaganda, but understanding the production and distribution allows me to explore new approaches to art making within historical and social contexts. Thank you for sharing this fresh viewpoint. Curator: Indeed, thinking about how materials and making impact a work changes our perception of its historical and cultural significance.