Johann Willem, hertog van Saksen-Gotha sneuvelt bij Toulon 1707

This medal commemorating the death of Johann Willem, Duke of Saxe-Gotha, at Toulon was made by Johann Christian Koch. The medal exemplifies the fusion of personal tragedy with political messaging characteristic of European dynastic culture. One side shows a profile of the Duke, emphasizing his nobility, while the other features a tomb surrounded by six coats of arms. The Latin inscription translates to ‘Captured at Toulon.’ The imagery blends mourning with a claim of victory, reflecting the complex politics of the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century. Such commemorative medals were produced and distributed among the elite to shape public perception of events and reinforce dynastic power. To understand this piece fully, one must research the history of the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, the political context of the Siege of Toulon, and the function of commemorative medals in early modern Europe. Art history uses these resources to reveal the nuanced ways art and politics were intertwined.