Vrede van Rijswijk 1697

This silver medal celebrating the Peace of Rijswijk was made by Reynier Arondeaux, an engraver working in the Netherlands at the end of the 17th century. The Treaty of Rijswijk concluded the Nine Years' War, which saw France pitted against a European coalition. The medal's imagery creates meaning through visual codes and historical associations. On one side, we see a crowd of figures at the doors of a temple representing Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, with discarded weapons at its base. On the other, a bird's eye view of Rijswijk is surrounded by the coats of arms of the countries involved in the treaty. This piece speaks to the cultural and political history of the Netherlands at the time, in particular its economic structures. As a major seafaring power, the Netherlands had a vested interest in peace and free trade. Medals such as this one were important tools for shaping public opinion and promoting a particular view of the peace. As historians, we use resources such as diplomatic archives, period newspapers, and personal letters to understand better the political and economic context in which this medal was produced and consumed.