Overlijden van Maria II van Engeland 1695

This small silver medal, made by W. Roukens around the end of the 17th century, commemorates the death of Mary II of England. The medal is a fascinating piece of political imagery. On one side, we see a portrait of Mary, identifying her as queen, while the reverse depicts a monument with grieving figures. Here the visual codes of mourning are combined with the symbolism of royalty. The medal speaks to the way the monarchy projected power through carefully managed public image, and how events like a royal death became opportunities to reinforce social order. These medals were often commissioned by governments or wealthy individuals, and distributed to commemorate events or spread political messages. The inscriptions, in Latin, reflect the intellectual culture of the time. To fully understand this piece, we need to delve into the history of the English monarchy, the role of women in power, and the artistic conventions of the period. We can learn about the visual and material culture of the period, and analyze how it shaped perceptions of power and grief.