Vrede van Utrecht 1713

This bronze medal, by John Croker, commemorates the Peace of Utrecht. The medal is dominated by two figures, each occupying one side of the coin. On one side we see a bust of Queen Anne, rendered in profile, her regal bearing framed by an inscription. The other side features a seated female figure, an allegorical representation of peace, holding an olive branch and spear, with ships sailing calmly in the background. The circular format of the medal creates a self-contained world, a microcosm in which power and peace are neatly juxtaposed. The texture of the bronze adds a tactile dimension, inviting a sensory engagement with the themes of diplomacy and authority. The artist's formal arrangement uses classical motifs to frame the political realities of the time, thus emphasizing the desire for, and idealization of, peace.