Inscription [reverse] 1543

Editor: This is Friedrich Hagenauer’s bronze medal from 1543, titled “Inscription [reverse]”. It’s a small, circular piece with text inscribed in what looks like Latin. The texture and the color give it a very antique feel. How would you interpret this piece? Curator: Well, consider the moment in which this object was created: the Reformation was reshaping Europe, challenging established religious and political orders. Hagenauer, working in Augsburg, a city at the crossroads of these movements, crafted this medal as a potential act of resistance. Editor: Resistance? How so? Curator: The inscription referencing Psalm 36: "Trust in God and pray to him," could be viewed as a subtle endorsement of personal piety during a time when religious authority was intensely debated. The medal itself would be touched and handled. Editor: So, this medal becomes a pocket-sized manifesto? Curator: Precisely. And we need to also think about who was commissioning and possessing these objects. Who would benefit from the quiet reminder of faith represented by this inscription? Was it personal adornment, or did its wear have social implications within a contested Augsburg? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. So much more than just a decorative object! Curator: Exactly. Hagenauer’s work exemplifies how art can serve as a silent, yet powerful form of expression and negotiation within historical power structures. These objects are traces, they speak of those who may otherwise remain voiceless. Editor: I’m starting to see how deeply intertwined art is with the social and political landscape of the time. Thank you. Curator: Of course, reflecting on that dynamic always opens new avenues for understanding.