Margaretha van Oostenrijk, dochter van Maximiliaan 1497

This small bronze medal featuring Margaretha van Oostenrijk was made by an anonymous artist during her lifetime. The medal's material has greatly influenced its appearance, with the weighty bronze lending the piece a feeling of permanence and importance. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, is known for its durability and resistance to corrosion. The metal was heated until molten and then poured into a mold, a process requiring precise temperature control and technical skill. Once cooled, the medal would have been removed, cleaned, and polished, revealing the detailed portrait of Margaretha and allegorical scene on the reverse. The creation of such a medal involved the labor of miners who extracted the raw materials, foundry workers who cast the bronze, and the artist who designed the mold. These processes highlight the complex relationship between art, labor, and the economic structures of the time. By understanding the materials and making of the medal, we gain a richer appreciation of its meaning.