Gedenkpenning op de actiehandel van 1720 1720

This print, made in 1720 by Jan Goeree, commemorates the stock market crash with a duality of form. Two circular medallions dominate the composition, each contained within a rectangular frame that mimics a pinned notice. The upper medallion, full of dynamic energy, depicts figures repelling monsters, symbolizing the purging of speculative excesses. The lower medallion provides a stark contrast, its static text a sober reminder of the event for posterity. The linear precision of Goeree’s engraving lends a sharp, almost didactic quality to the scene. Here, the artist uses the visual language of classical allegory to interpret a contemporary crisis, framing it within a narrative of reason overcoming chaos. The work functions as a cultural signifier, reflecting anxieties about economic instability and the desire to impose order on unpredictable market forces. Note how the symmetry of the layout, disrupted by the seemingly torn paper corners, hints at the fragility of the systems it depicts.