Maximiliaan I, Duits keizer 1509

This silver coin portraying Maximiliaan I was created in 1509 by an anonymous artist. The coin's design is bisected into two primary fields: on one side, a regal figure on horseback, and on the other, an intricate heraldic crest surrounded by various shields. The coin's circular form, together with the relief, creates an interplay of depth and dimension. The coin's structure invites us to consider its function within a semiotic system. It serves as a signifier of power, authority, and legitimacy. The heraldic symbols, arranged in a precise order, communicate a network of alliances, territories, and claims. The choice of silver as a medium further enhances these symbolic attributes, denoting value and durability. Although seemingly fixed, the meaning of the coin changes according to its context. Its design and materiality point towards a system of power, a claim to identity and legacy that's continually being renegotiated through the act of viewing and interpreting.