Vrede van Rijswijk, ter ere van Willem III en Lodewijk XIV 1697

This silver medal, crafted by Christian Wermuth, commemorates the Peace of Rijswijk. On each side, we see the profiles of William III and Louis XIV, each adorned with laurel wreaths, symbols of victory and peace inherited from classical antiquity. The laurel wreath, a motif deeply rooted in cultural memory, first appears in ancient Greece, awarded to victors in athletic competitions and military triumphs. Over time, it became closely associated with Apollo, god of light and reason, signifying honor and divine approval. This symbol, however, does not exist in isolation. It is part of a visual language that repeats through history. Consider the Roman emperors, who adopted the laurel wreath to legitimize their rule, or Renaissance paintings depicting heroes crowned with its leaves. Each re-emergence subtly transforms the symbol, layering new cultural meanings onto the old, a cyclical process of renewal and reinterpretation driven by collective memory. It's as if these symbols possess a life of their own, perpetually reborn across epochs, each time resonating with the hopes, anxieties, and aspirations of a new era.