Overlijden van Karel II van Engeland 1685

Curator: Oh, this is fascinating. It’s an engraving, a medal really, commemorating the death of Charles II of England in 1685. Jan (I) Smeltzing is credited as the artist. Editor: It feels terribly austere, doesn’t it? Stark even. That metal gleam is rather unforgiving. Is it meant to evoke sadness, or just the cold facts? Curator: Well, let's dig into the iconography, shall we? On one side, we have the profile of Charles, every curl of his wig meticulously detailed. The inscription circles him, a rather formal Latin. Flip it over, and you see a setting sun over water. "Omnia orta occidunt," it declares – everything that rises, falls. Deeply symbolic. Editor: Absolutely. The setting sun, naturally, speaks of endings, of mortality. But it also has this serene beauty. I wonder if it hints at something beyond death. Is it hope, maybe? It doesn't have to be overt. Curator: That is very interesting. Given the context, I’d say the artist wanted to elevate Charles to an idealized leader facing eternity in the same way ancient rulers did when minting coins. I also want to point out this interesting sun detail: is that a human face at its center? Almost childlike. A new dawn beyond the sunset? It’s as if Smeltzing leaves room for… interpretation. Editor: Yes! The youthful sun… that little detail flips the narrative. It reminds you there is always an ebb and flow to leadership—a promise of succession perhaps? That sun almost dares to twinkle even in the somber subject matter. Curator: Perhaps Smeltzing, in capturing Charles' passing, wanted us to contemplate cycles – the rise and fall of kings, of eras, of empires, the ebb and flow, as you said, of power. This medal offers not just a portrait but a rather intricate symbolic map of memory and legacy. Editor: A bittersweet artifact then. A stark, silver memento that shines even as it reminds us of life's fleeting nature. Something lovely and sad to behold.