Inname van Huy door de bondgenoten 1694

This silver medal, depicting the ‘Inname van Huy door de bondgenoten’ (Capture of Huy by the Allies), was crafted by Jan Boskam around the turn of the 18th century. Boskam, who died young at just 21, lived in a time of significant political and military upheaval in the Netherlands, which provides a crucial lens through which we can examine this work. On one side, we see a profile of William III, adorned with a laurel wreath. The opposite side illustrates the siege of Huy, with a horseman brandishing a sword. The medal commemorates a specific historical event, yet, it also serves as a piece of propaganda, designed to immortalize the power and authority of William III, whose leadership was crucial in the conflicts against Louis XIV's France. This medal can be considered in light of the history of masculinist power structures in the 17th and 18th centuries, where ideals of leadership, military strength, and national identity were often intertwined. Boskam's medal invites us to consider how art can be mobilized to construct and celebrate particular versions of history, power, and identity.