Cornelis van den Brande, vijftig jaar raadsheer aan het Hof van Vlaanderen te Middelburg 1746

This silver medal commemorating Cornelis van den Brande was crafted by Martin Holtzhey. It celebrates fifty years of service as a councilor at the Court of Flanders in Middelburg, likely for a man born into a family of status and privilege. Reflect on the implications of a society where positions of power were often inherited or reserved for a select few. The imagery on the medal—lions, crests, and Latin inscriptions—speaks to the visual language of authority and tradition, but also hints at the subtle ways identities are constructed and maintained. The choice of silver as a medium further reinforces a sense of value. This medal is not just a marker of personal achievement, it is also a reflection of the societal structures that enabled such achievements. How does this object speak to the broader themes of power and identity within the context of 18th-century Dutch society?