Portret van Filips V, koning van Spanje en profil op een medaille 1665 - 1733

This print of a medal portraying Philip V of Spain was created by Simon Thomassin, sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It offers a glimpse into the self-fashioned image of a monarch during a period of intense colonial expansion. Notice how Philip is presented in profile, encircled by Latin text proclaiming him king of Spain and the Indies. This deliberate association links his reign directly to Spain's vast colonial holdings in the Americas, underlining the intertwined relationship between monarchy, power, and colonial exploitation. The smaller medal displayed below depicts an allegorical scene with the inscription "Hispania Felix," or "Happy Spain," further idealizing Spanish rule. The imagery of the medal presents an official narrative, yet it also prompts us to reflect on the human cost of colonialism and the ways in which power is often visually constructed. How might those who suffered under Spanish rule have viewed this image? What stories are missing from this portrait of power?