Family medal 1624

This silver family medal was made by Adriaen de Grebber sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. It commemorates a couple, likely members of a wealthy family, and serves as both a portrait and a symbol of status. Consider the material: silver, which is a precious metal that has been mined, smelted, and carefully worked. The process of creating such a medal involves a great deal of time and skill. The design had to be carefully planned and engraved into a die, then used to strike the medal. The details of the couple's faces, the inscription, and the decorative border all speak to a high level of craftsmanship. Objects like these are important because they blur the lines between art, craft, and design. It's not just a functional object, but a work of art that carries social and cultural significance.