Medaillon met de personificatie van de stad Rome 1798

This is Reinier Vinkeles's "Medaillon met de personificatie van de stad Rome," an engraving made in 1798. This piece offers a glimpse into the visual language of civic virtue and national identity during the late 18th century. At its center, we see Roma, the personification of the city, depicted as a helmeted woman, a symbol deeply rooted in classical antiquity and embraced during the Enlightenment. Roma embodies ideals of strength and wisdom. This representation invokes a powerful narrative. As you look at the medallion, consider how the figure of Roma, inspired by classical ideals, invites viewers to contemplate the values of citizenship, liberty, and patriotism. The text surrounding the image, "Romeinsche antieken van vrijheids en vaderlands=liefde," translates to "Roman antiquities of freedom and love of the fatherland." This underscores the work's engagement with themes of liberty and national pride that were central to the political and cultural discourse of the time. These notions were particularly poignant in the Netherlands, then under French influence, as citizens grappled with questions of sovereignty and self-governance. The engraving is not merely a depiction of Rome, but an appeal to the values of freedom and national identity.