Penning ter ere van de overdracht van het graafschap Culemborg aan Willem IV, 1748 1752

Caspar Jacobsz. Philips created this print in 1748 to honor the transfer of the County of Culemborg to Willem IV. The print’s composition is divided into two distinct circular medallions, each employing a meticulous engraving technique. In the upper medallion, the artist’s focus on line and texture brings forth a portrait of Willem IV. The structural arrangement, with its detailed depiction of armor and regal bearing, evokes a sense of power. The lower medallion presents an allegorical scene of the transfer, its formal elements emphasizing the balance and order inherent in such a political act. Through Philips' strategic use of form and semiotic visual cues, such as the coat of arms and classical figures, the print not only commemorates a historical event but also engages with broader themes of governance, legacy, and the symbolic representation of power. The artwork invites us to examine how visual forms and their arrangements encode and communicate meaning.