Vernietiging van de Engelse en Nederlandse vloot bij Beachy Head, rekenpenning geslagen ter ere van Lodewijk Alexander, graaf van Toulouse 1690

Editor: So, this piece is a medal from 1690 titled "Destruction of the English and Dutch fleet near Beachy Head." It’s honoring Louis Alexander, Count of Toulouse. Made of metal, so much detail for such a small object! I see two sides: one shows a portrait and the other a symbolic image with horses. What do you see here? Curator: An interesting selection of symbols indeed. It is crucial to view each image as an encoding, a carrier of complex meaning. The portrait itself isn’t simply a likeness; it embodies power, status, legitimacy. Think of the weight portraits held throughout history – how rulers and important figures used them to project carefully crafted images. Then the horses, seemingly pulling a chariot. But consider: What does that chariot represent? What happens when maritime forces are transposed? Editor: Victory? I mean, horses and chariots seem triumphant, at least historically. Curator: Potentially. It certainly evokes conquest. But why those specific animals pulling it? Horses are signs of royalty and nobility, yet harnessed for this scene that references a naval victory. In this case they may signify naval command and strength. Don’t forget the sea – a chaotic force, traditionally navigated via divine favor or military prowess. See how it's represented – not as an ally, but a stage for dominion? Does the medal celebrate conquest, or caution against it? What feeling remains? Editor: I guess it makes sense that these aren't just pretty images. The combination of portrait and scene gives it more symbolic power than I first assumed. It tells such a potent, persuasive story. Curator: Precisely. These objects served a very specific purpose. And the memory they preserve is as manufactured as the medium itself, yet so telling of its culture.