Inname van de schans St. Andries door de troepen van Maurits, graaf van Nassau 1600

Editor: This metal relief, titled "Inname van de schans St. Andries door de troepen van Maurits, graaf van Nassau" from 1600, looks like an oversized coin. It feels quite symbolic, almost like a commemorative medal. What strikes you when you look at this? Curator: The first thing I notice is the labor. Consider the process of engraving, especially on metal. The skills needed, the time invested... it elevates this object beyond simple currency. This wasn't just for spending, it was for preserving power. Look at how the inscription circles the images on both sides, further enforcing this object as more of a declaration than an expense. Editor: So you see its value not in its monetary worth, but as a record of... of what exactly? Victory? Propaganda? Curator: Precisely! Victory, undoubtedly, but consider *who* is commissioning this piece. It’s a statement about control and material wealth converted into political and social currency. And the symbols! What’s being explicitly shown? How does the material itself reinforce that meaning? Editor: Well, the depiction of the fort being captured makes that literal. But the sun imagery and Latin inscription are harder to decode. It's like the metal itself gives weight to these ideas... a solid, lasting impression. Curator: Exactly. Think about the circulation of these objects, and how that movement influences public opinion and constructs historical narrative. We must also ask what it meant to be able to own a piece of political power through a precious material at that moment in time. What narratives get amplified, and at whose expense? Editor: I hadn't considered the way its materiality adds to the meaning. I guess it’s a lot more complex than just a picture on metal! Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Always look to the materials – they whisper the true story.