Het tekenen van de voorlopige vredesvoorwaarden tussen Engeland en Frankrijk 1801

This medal, commemorating the peace treaty between England and France, was made by Kettle & Söhne, of bronze. The production of medals like this one relies on the process of die-striking. Here, a design is engraved in reverse onto a steel die, which is then hammered onto a blank medal form. The bronze assumes the shape and design on the die, in this instance, a dove and trading ships. Although medals such as this could be seen as miniature sculptures, they weren't made by artists working alone. Rather, they were produced in commercial workshops operating on principles of serial production. They were intended for wide circulation, and are directly tied to larger systems of economy and trade. Objects like this ask us to think about value – not just the monetary kind, but also the cultural value we place on them. Appreciating their making helps us understand these connections, and to see beyond the traditional divide between art and craft.