Verzet van Holland om Willem III te benoemen tot stadhouder 1672

This silver medal was made by Jan Smeltzing to commemorate the resistance of Holland to appoint William III as stadtholder. A powerful lion dominates the foreground; its paw rests authoritatively upon a sleeping sheep. The lion, a symbol of strength and royalty, contrasts sharply with the vulnerable sheep, evoking a complex interplay of power and vulnerability. The image calls to mind similar depictions of lions throughout history, from ancient Egyptian motifs to heraldic symbols of European monarchies. These symbols carry layers of meaning. Consider, however, the subtle shift in meaning from protector to oppressor, a reflection of the precarious balance between leadership and tyranny, embedded deep within our collective consciousness. The medal engages us on a primal level, stirring feelings of reverence, fear, and perhaps even a touch of melancholy. How a symbol is recontextualized, reminding us that history, and the images that carry it, are perpetually in flux.