Inhuldiging van Stadhouder Willem V in Vlissingen en Veere 1766 1766

Gijsbert van Moelingen created this silver medal in 1766 to commemorate William V's inauguration as Stadtholder in Vlissingen en Veere. The medal features William V's profile encircled by a laurel wreath, a classical symbol of victory and honor. This imagery consciously evokes the Roman Empire, seeking to legitimize the Stadtholder as a powerful leader. On the reverse is an allegorical scene of the inauguration. This medal served as propaganda, reinforcing the power and legitimacy of the House of Orange during a period of political tension in the Dutch Republic. To fully understand this work, one needs to research the political history of the Dutch Republic in the 18th century. Numismatic collections, archival documents, and period literature can illuminate the social and institutional contexts that shaped its creation. This medal reminds us that art is not created in a vacuum, but is deeply intertwined with the political and social forces of its time.