Huwelijk van Karel III van Spanje met Elisabeth Christina van Braunschweig en Lueneburg, penning geslagen door de stad Gent 1708

This silver coin was struck by the city of Ghent to commemorate the marriage of Charles III of Spain to Elisabeth Christina of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The formal composition of the coin is structured around the interplay between portraiture and heraldry, reflecting the union of two noble houses. On one side, the profiles of Charles and Elisabeth face each other, their regal bearing captured with delicate precision. The arrangement of their profiles suggests a dialogue, yet each figure remains enclosed within their own symbolic space. Turn the coin over, and we see the elaborate coats of arms, each meticulously rendered. The dual representation of portraiture and heraldry isn't merely decorative; it signifies the strategic and symbolic dimensions of marriage within royal circles. The coin, therefore, becomes more than a mere object; it's a structural artifact that speaks to power, lineage, and the intricate dance of political alliance.