Veldtocht van 1815, draagteken uitgereikt aan de Pruissische soldaten 1815

This Prussian medal, awarded for the 1815 campaign, presents a stark visual contrast: a dark, circular medal against a ribbon of alternating light and dark stripes. The medal's circular form, a shape often associated with unity and completeness, is here disrupted by inscriptions and markings that fracture its smooth surface. The interplay of light and dark on the ribbon creates a semiotic rhythm; these alternating bands might be interpreted as representing the fluctuating fortunes of war, or the binary oppositions of victory and defeat. The form of the ribbon itself, tied in a loose knot, suggests a tension between structure and chaos, order and disorder. The rigid geometry of the medal contrasts with the soft, pliable fabric of the ribbon. The visual language here speaks of the intersection between the abstract ideals of honor and the material realities of conflict, challenging any fixed notions of heroism. Ultimately, the medal operates as a site of ongoing re-evaluation.