Vrede van Aken 1668

This silver medal, commemorating the Peace of Aachen, was made in 1668 by Christoffel Adolphi. As a material, silver offered an appealing combination of malleability, relative abundance, and value; ideally suited to the function of currency and commemoration. The medal's design is achieved through the skilled techniques of striking and engraving, processes that were well-established in the 17th century. Dies were carved in hardened steel, with which a relief image could be quickly and accurately imparted to the surface of a coin or medal. Look closely, and you can see the crispness of the lines and the evenness of the background, all resulting from this technology. The imagery is significant too: allegorical figures of peace and prosperity, naval vessels representing trade, and coats-of-arms indicative of the countries involved in the treaty. Each of these elements would have required additional labor to create, and so the medal is a symbol of power and prestige, both for the commissioner and the recipient. In its time, this medal would have been considered an eloquent statement in precious material.