Vroedschapspenning van de stad 's-Gravenhage Possibly 1719 - 1734

Curator: Here we have the Vroedschapspenning van de stad 's-Gravenhage, a city council medal from The Hague, dating possibly from 1719 to 1734. It is rendered in metal, with engraving and relief work. What catches your eye first? Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by this duality. On one side, you have the bustle and ambition of a detailed cityscape, almost overwhelming in its miniature form. Then you flip it, and find two stern women clasping hands. A complete change of pace, and what's with their heavy drapes? Curator: The city side teems with carefully rendered architectural details and Latin inscriptions, meant to trumpet The Hague's importance. While the figures on the other represent Concordia, the Roman goddess of agreement, with a set of scales for Justice to signify balance. Togetherness in a slightly forbidding pose. Editor: A city bursting at the seams on one face, unity held tight and solemn on the other. Feels… weighted. Do you get that sense of contained expectation? Or maybe its wishful thinking and the goddesses want you to remember civic duties, like taxes. Curator: I love that! These medals had real political heft—they celebrated the city council and its power, serving as rewards, or diplomatic gifts to honor relationships, an exchangeable coin of civic respect. This contrast really drives home that point: ambition tempered by civic harmony, right? The controlled, the civilized. Editor: Precisely. And, dare I say, a hint of that Dutch Golden Age knack for turning even political currency into something with aesthetic allure. It's not just about money or power; it’s about crafting something enduring, a concept solidified. I guess you need some civic virtue to make a town! Curator: Well put! These kinds of medallions encapsulate their era. It makes one wonder about the balance of ambition, governance and the illusion of justice struck today. Editor: Maybe we need to strike some of these today, remind ourselves that, just occasionally, concord matters just as much as a skyscraper on the horizon.