Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft, burgemeester van Amsterdam 1787

This silver medal portraying Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft, mayor of Amsterdam, was made by an anonymous artist. During the Dutch Golden Age, the Netherlands was a powerful force in global trade and culture, but this prosperity was built on complex systems of power and inequality. This medal gives insight into the construction of identity and the power dynamics of the 17th and 18th centuries. On one side, we see Hooft's portrait, adorned in the attire of the ruling class, a symbol of wealth. The other side shows an inscription which translates to 'Long live father Hooft', suggesting a paternalistic relationship between the mayor and the citizens. Medals like these were often distributed to commemorate important events or to honor individuals of high status. While seemingly a simple tribute, the medal also speaks to the societal structures of the time, highlighting the status and authority of figures like Hooft and prompting us to reflect on who is memorialized.