Wijding van de nieuwe kerk te Marimont aan de heilige Maagd door Maria Elisabeth, landvoogdes der zuidelijke Nederlanden 1740

Curator: This is a medal from around 1740 by Jacques Roettiers, commemorating the consecration of the new church at Mariemont by Maria Elisabeth, Governor of the Southern Netherlands. Editor: It’s fascinating to see this moment captured in metal. There's such intricate detail despite the likely small scale of the original. I'm drawn to the rendering of architectural forms. Curator: Indeed. Roettiers’s choice of metal speaks volumes. Its inherent value emphasizes the power dynamics at play – religious authority sanctioned by noble patronage, solidifying their social legitimacy through displays of material generosity. Consider the labour: How were these medals distributed and what impact might these tokens of affiliation have on its beholders? Editor: Right, so it's not just a piece of art; it’s an object embedded in networks of production, circulation, and reception. The very act of minting and distributing such items indicates an understanding of a broad societal impact that gestures of devotion like these could represent. Curator: Precisely. The iconography also plays a crucial role, linking Maria Elisabeth directly to the Virgin Mary through the dedication of the church. This reinforces the notion of female leadership as divinely sanctioned. Note the inscription: "To the Divine Mother, devoutly received into Heaven". It underscores that these historical portrayals are embedded in intersectional histories of religion, gender and class. Editor: The medal seems to operate as a visual contract. The very labor embedded in the work - the casting, engraving, and distribution, are the literal means of expressing a deeply devotional narrative. This speaks to how art is essentially work manifest into devotion and remembrance. Curator: Absolutely. The act of bestowing these objects becomes part of the historical record, marking how power utilizes materials and labour to perpetuate its existence. Editor: I find myself appreciating it even more now, recognizing its multiple layers of meaning and its grounding in material and social history. Curator: Seeing art this way invites us to actively think about our present relationship to history, representation, and authority, encouraging critical engagement beyond the artwork itself.