Pacificatie van Ierland, 1691 1691

This silver medal, the ‘Pacificatie van Ierland,’ was created in 1691 by D. Koene. It commemorates the subjugation of Ireland by William of Orange. The medal's small size belies the immense labor involved in its creation, as it would have required a skilled hand to carve the dies used for striking the metal. The high relief imagery, from William's portrait to the violent battle scene, is a testament to this craft. Minted objects like this one existed in a fascinating nexus of art, craft, and industry. Medals were often commissioned by the wealthy or powerful to promote a particular political viewpoint. As such, they functioned as a kind of propaganda distributed to a relatively wide audience. The choice of silver, a precious material, underscores the perceived importance of the event, as well as the patron’s ability to finance the commission. Ultimately, understanding the history of such an object forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about how power is expressed through materials and making.