Inhuldiging van de hertog van Anjou als hertog van Brabant 1582

Editor: This fascinating piece, entitled "Inauguration of the Duke of Anjou as Duke of Brabant," is dated 1582 and was created by P. Basseliers using print and metal engraving techniques. I'm struck by the craftsmanship of this tiny, dual-sided metal object; you can even see the individual lines and labor of each tiny cut made to each side! What stands out to you about it? Curator: For me, the immediate point of interest lies in the piece's material reality as a form of currency and social exchange. Think about the laborious processes required: the mining, smelting, engraving, and striking. Each step involved human labor and the transformation of raw materials into a symbol of power. How does understanding the coin's function affect your interpretation of the Duke’s portrait? Editor: Well, knowing it's currency, it becomes much more apparent that the image functions as propaganda. It’s designed to be handled, traded, and seen, thereby legitimizing his power through everyday exchange. But does its scale—being such a small object—affect how successful it can be at propagating these ideologies? Curator: Absolutely! The coin's intimate scale requires close examination, suggesting a personalized form of engagement with power. The labor of creating these coins was definitely intensive. The small format doesn’t diminish its impact. In fact, the deliberate distribution of such material reinforces a social order with every transaction. What does that tell you? Editor: It tells me that it acted almost like an early form of mass media! Something designed to spread an idea, and to also facilitate the actual material business of the state. I never considered something like currency could carry such heavy symbolic weight. Curator: Precisely. We must constantly analyze how materials and methods intersect with power and ideology. Understanding the material conditions of art making—and here the industrial effort behind the metal and engraving process—offers critical insights into its broader social function.