Roemrijke tocht van Karel X Gustaaf van Zweden over de Belt 1658

This is a medal by Johann Georg Breuer, commemorating Charles X Gustav of Sweden’s crossing of the Belts. Consider the laurel wreath adorning Charles's head, a symbol rooted in antiquity. In ancient Greece and Rome, it signified triumph and glory, awarded to victors in athletic competitions and military campaigns. The image of triumphant leaders crowned with laurel leaves resonates through centuries. Now, observe the scene on the medal's reverse: the crossing of the ice. This perilous journey, fraught with uncertainty, transforms the laurel wreath from a symbol of established victory into one of audacious ambition. The crown of laurels is usually associated with the divine right of kings, which over time has lost that sense, becoming a secular symbol of excellence. Yet, the collective memory of such imagery evokes primal emotions of hope and fear, courage and trepidation, connecting us to the universal human experience of striving for greatness against all odds. Symbols, you see, are never static; they evolve, adapt, and resurface, carrying echoes of the past into the present, forever shaping our understanding of the world.