Verovering van Rugen door de koning van Denemarken en de keurvorst van Brandenburg 1678

This silver medal, made by Johann Höhn, commemorates the conquest of Rugen by the King of Denmark and the Elector of Brandenburg. The medal presents two distinct sides, each governed by different compositional principles. One side displays an intricate landscape, dominated by clusters of meticulously detailed foliage that create an all-over surface texture. The other side contains a neatly arranged inscription; its structured, linear layout contrasts sharply with the pictorial complexity of the landscape. The inscription, serving as text, assigns meaning to the pictorial side, while the image evokes the event. The design is not merely decorative; its dense, almost chaotic, arrangement of natural elements suggests the turbulent political landscape of the time. This interplay between text and image creates a dialectic—challenging fixed meanings and engaging with new ways of thinking about power and representation. Ultimately, the medal functions aesthetically and as a cultural and philosophical marker, inviting ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.