Inname van Landau door de Fransen 1716

This bronze medal commemorating the capture of Landau by the French was made by Jean Mauger, a leading French medalist who died in 1722. It is a potent example of art deployed to celebrate national power. The medal presents a portrait of Louis XIV, King of France, on one side. On the other side, we see a classical allegory of the event. It shows the city of Landau surrendering to France, represented by a winged figure. Note the Latin inscription, which translates as ‘He Conquered, They Surrendered to Awe’. Louis sought to associate himself with Roman emperors, and commemorative medals were part of a strategy to create and disseminate his power. By studying such objects, we gain valuable insights into the political uses of art, and the way that institutions of power cultivate and circulate specific images. A scholar of this medal might consult primary source accounts of the siege, or study the records of the French court.