Penning bij de inhuldiging van Willem IV te Breda, 1737 1737

Curator: This piece, housed at the Rijksmuseum, commemorates William IV's inauguration in Breda in 1737. It's an engraving, probably in ink, showing sketches related to a commemorative medal. We don't know the artist; it's attributed to "Anonymous". Editor: My immediate impression is of looking at someone’s notebook. It's got that unfinished, working-through-ideas quality that I find really appealing, even cozy. It feels like peering over the shoulder of history. Curator: Absolutely. The composition speaks to that feeling. We have preliminary sketches of the medal design and accompanying text, all rendered in that distinct Baroque style typical of the Dutch Golden Age, when such civic occasions were captured with elaborate symbolism. Note, for instance, the depiction of the pelican. Editor: Yes! That pelican is fascinating! If I'm not mistaken, isn't it a symbol of sacrifice, of a ruler's dedication to their people, offering its own blood? Curator: Precisely. In this context, we can see it as representative of Willem IV’s commitment to his role. The surrounding text would further reinforce the importance of the event. What’s interesting too is the document refers to gold and silver coins, and lists the recipients of these inaugural keepsakes. Editor: It really underscores the formal and somewhat staged nature of these inaugurations, right? All these commemorative objects given out, the societal hierarchies emphasized. But on the other hand, seeing it as a sketchbook also reminds us that someone, perhaps a team, had to put together all the design aspects and think carefully of a presentation in the making. Curator: I agree; through a contemporary lens, these unveilings or inaugurations are performative acts steeped in power dynamics. The deliberate distribution of medals reinforced these power structures but were equally designed to create shared identity across strata. Editor: Looking at it now, this humble little sketchbook leaf becomes almost subversive. It cracks open a tiny door into the human activity _behind_ the ceremony. It's messy, intuitive...a welcome contrast to the pomp. Curator: Precisely. It shows that, even within these rigid societal structures, individuals still contemplated, created, and expressed. This tension informs our modern interpretation of this artifact. Editor: I’m going to look at my own notebooks with a bit more reverence from now on. They might hold more history than I give them credit for!