Anna van Lotharingen, hertogin van Aarschot, prinses van Oranje 1576

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this coin. It’s dated 1576, and depicts Anna van Lotharingen, Duchess of Aarschot and Princess of Orange. It's a metal print. Editor: My first impression is the scale—something so small attempts to convey so much. The detailed heraldry is particularly striking. Curator: Indeed. Consider the process involved in minting something like this back then—the skill of the die cutter, the quality of the metal. These objects were often a deliberate attempt to disseminate political and dynastic information. Who was handling the coin and how were their ideas being formed about Anna van Lotharingen as it changed hands? Editor: It is fascinating to consider how an object like this—produced during a period of significant political upheaval—serves as both a representation and a reinforcement of power structures. This small coin carries a weight of authority, communicating messages about Anna's lineage and status to its users. How complicit was the Duchess herself in the dissemination of this kind of messaging? Curator: Perhaps complicit is the wrong term. Survival, power and status, while beneficial to the individual also serves a utilitarian goal to preserve and grow access to valuable social services. If we scrutinize this, and coins and tools and pots, throughout all recorded human civilizations, we may find a parallel between what tools we value and how we treat others. Editor: You bring up such a pivotal concept, the use of these objects by those in power versus the end-users, to shape narratives and legitimise authority—consider the perspective of marginalized communities interacting with these potent symbols. This speaks volumes about the role of iconography in shaping societal norms and individual consciousness. Curator: Absolutely, we are considering consumption, value, exchange... it is not too far a reach to view this artwork and consider how many of these values persist to the modern-day. Editor: Agreed. By focusing on how symbols are deployed and perceived, we can reveal a complex interplay between power, identity, and resistance throughout history and in the contemporary world. Curator: I'll think of it next time I have coinage in my hands. It might give me pause. Editor: A valuable reminder that the materials we hold and use every day bear witness to complex stories of social power, identity, and, perhaps, transformation.