Op Filips II, na het vergaan van de Spaanse armada c. 1588 - 1589

This undated medal, made by an anonymous artist, commemorates a pivotal moment: Philip II's reign after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Notice the globe on the reverse, pierced by a sword. The globe, a symbol of worldly power, is here subdued. The sword, an age-old emblem of authority and military might, is rendered impotent. I am reminded of earlier depictions of globes in Ptolemaic cosmology, representing the known world as orderly and conquerable. Here, the globe’s symbolic meaning shifts, becoming a marker of loss and diminished dominion. Consider how such symbols resurface, each time colored by the anxieties and triumphs of the age. What was once a symbol of assured sovereignty becomes a potent reminder of transience and the ebb and flow of power. This medal is not just a historical artifact; it's a mirror reflecting the enduring human drama of ambition, defeat, and the relentless march of time.