's-Hertogenbosch, vroedschapspenning op het eeuwfeest van de herbouwing van het stadhuis 1770

This is a silver medal made by Theodorus Victor van Berckel commemorating the centenary of the rebuilding of the town hall of 's-Hertogenbosch. On one side, a winged figure stands, holding a wreath, with the inscription 'SOLICITUDINE PVBLICA'. The other side presents a standing figure of a woman next to a building, accompanied by the inscription 'QUOD REGAT GENTES CONCORDIA MILITUM'. The medal's design employs a binary structure: each side offers a distinct symbolic scene yet both are linked by the circular form, creating a dialogue between public care and concord among soldiers as the foundation of governance. We can consider how the symmetry of the medal, with its mirrored compositions, reflects an attempt to establish a balanced representation of civic values and authority. This symmetry suggests a deliberate effort to harmonize potentially conflicting elements within the state through visual and symbolic means. Consider the interplay between form and content, and how this seemingly simple object becomes a complex cultural artifact, embodying the tensions and aspirations of its time.