Stichting van de Lutherse kerk te Rotterdam 1736

This is a silver medal by Martin Holtzhey commemorating the founding of the Lutheran Church in Rotterdam. During the 18th century, the Dutch Republic was undergoing significant social and religious shifts. While the Dutch Reformed Church was the dominant religion, tolerance for other beliefs grew, allowing for the establishment of Lutheran congregations. The medal embodies this era, reflecting Rotterdam's identity as a vibrant port city, seen on one side, together with its growing religious diversity, symbolized by the newly built church on the other. Notice how the medal not only commemorates a religious event but also speaks to the broader themes of identity, tolerance, and the negotiation of religious freedom within the evolving social fabric of the Dutch Republic. The medal captures a moment of change, where different religious and social identities were beginning to find their place in the urban landscape.