Driehonderdjarige herdenking van de inname van Den Briel door de Watergeuzen 1872 1872

This is a medal commemorating the three-hundred-year anniversary of the capture of Den Briel by the Watergeuzen, made in 1872 by M.C. de Vries junior. The medal’s circular form is divided into two distinct visual fields on each side, each employing starkly contrasting yet meticulously balanced compositions. On one side, we see the Watergeuzen ship, carefully framed by the circular inscription. On the other side, two figures stand boldly, with flags held high, above a line of text that anchors the image to a specific historical moment. The raised relief of the figures and ship against the flat background suggests a tension between depth and surface, characteristic of the era's preoccupation with representation. The interplay of symbol and text invites us to reflect on how historical events are memorialized. It suggests that the process of historical remembrance isn't just about the past, but also about shaping and contesting our understanding of the present.