Emperor Joseph I and Princess Wilhelmina Amalia [obverse] 1699

This is a medal made by Philipp Heinrich Müller, likely during the reign of Emperor Joseph I, showing the Emperor with his wife Princess Wilhelmina Amalia. The medal is a fascinating example of royal portraiture from the Baroque era. The profiles of Joseph and Wilhelmina, complete with elaborate wigs and attire, are designed to convey power, status, and dynastic continuity. The Latin inscription around the edge, which translates to something like "There is nothing similar or second", elevates their status, almost suggesting a divine right to rule. It's important to remember that these images were carefully constructed to project an image of authority. By studying such objects, alongside written documents and accounts, historians can better understand the strategies rulers used to maintain power and how they wished to be seen by their subjects. The medal is a reminder that art always exists within a specific social and institutional context.